Face to Face
by Dp-Marvel94
Summary: When Danny went through the ghost catcher, he expected to be cured of his ghostliness, not to wake up to his parents saying he'd been overshadowed. But why does Danny Fenton cry himself to sleep to dream of flying? Why does Phantom, the ghost who was 'possessing' Danny remember a life that wasn't his? Most of all, why do both feel that something vital is missing,in their very soul?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: When Danny went through the ghost catcher, he expected to be cured of the ghostliness that had haunted him since the accident, not to wake up on the lab floor with his parents saying he'd been overshadowed but everything's back to normal now. But why does Danny Fenton cry himself to sleep to then dream of flying? Why does Phantom, the ghost who was supposedly possessing Danny remember a life that wasn't his? Most of all, why do both the human and the ghost feel that something vital is missing, in their very soul?

Or: Trying to cure himself of his powers one month after the accident, Danny accidentally splits himself but neither his ghost nor his human half know that that is what they did.

Note: Hey guys! Welcome to my next multi chapter story! This is a continuation of my one shot where Danny tells his parents about his powers during Mystery Meat (based on danphanwritingprompts). The first chapter is that original one shot with SEVERAL IMPORTANT ADDICTIONS. SO PLEASE READ THIS EVEN IF YOU READ THE FIRST ONESHOT. I tried to use some dialog from Mystery Meat but it's been a while and I changed some lines to make more sense or to match my style and alterations to the story. Finally, a note about the title. It's from the song Face to Face by Wolves at the Gate. The chorus has a line: "Every seed must die before it can grow." which sums up the theme of life coming from death. I thought it was perfect for this story which is about Danny literally coming face to face with the ghostly part of himself and coming to accept and embrace that part of himself (and his death in the portal which changed him into a ghost in the first place).

* * *

Later, after all of this was over and Danny Fenton-Phantom finally had a chance to think about everything, he would say this moment right here was the one the lead to that fateful decision. Even after he wasn't sure if it was a good decision or a bad decision. But he did know, it changed the way he saw his friends, his parents, and most importantly himself.

It started as one hard day in a month of hard days. Starting high school was hard enough as it is but this...Well, Danny was way in over his head and not getting to eat his burger was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"That's it!" Danny Fenton yelled just as his burger fell out of his hands...scratch that.. through his hands. The boy frowned down at the condiments staining his shirt then looked around frantically. Luckily no one was in the section of the park except him and his friends, Sam and Tucker, so no one heard the outburst...or the display of weird ghostliness- the 5th one in the last half hour. Danny continued his rant, now gripping his hair. "I've had enough! It's been almost a month! A month! I still don't have any control over...whatever the heck this is! I'm telling Mom and Dad."

Sam and Tucker both glanced up from their meals, wide concerned eyes studying their friend who was clearly at his wits end. Sam bit her lip. "Are you sure…?"

But Tucker cut her off. "Yeah dude. I was wondering why you haven't already told them." Sam gaped at him, while Danny's mouth snapped shut as he stared at the other boy questioningly. Tucker just raised an eyebrow. "What? They're like experts on ghosts. If anyone can help you with your powers, it's them."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "I hadn't told them because I hoped that whatever the freakin' portal did to me would go away on its own." He spread his arms, then groaned as one flickered out of view. "But clearly that's not going to happen."

Tucker eyed the flickering arm. "Well hopefully they can help you get a handle on this."

"I don't want a handle on it." He put his head in his hands. "I want this freaky stuff that's happening to me gone."

Now it was Tucker's turn to gap. "But you have ghost powers!"

"They're not powers Tucker! Random parts of my body disappear. Stuff literally falls through my hands. I keep waking up halfway through my bed or floating above 're freaky symptoms that I can't control!" Danny glared.

"But just think about it! You can turn invisible and walk through walls!" Tucker's smile turned mischievous. "If you actually tried to control it, you could peak in the girls' locker room anytime you want!"

Just then, Sam elbowed him, earning a yelp from the barrett-wearing boy. "What Tucker means to say is think of all the good you could do if you actually used your powers."

Danny stared at his two friends, face turning increasingly red with anger. "I can't believe you two! I di…" He cut himself off. I died, part of him wanted to say. But that...that wasn't true, right? He took a deep breath. "I could have died. The portal ..." He closed his eyes as the memory of electricity tearing through his veins, of green light burning, and freezing, and tearing him apart, and pulling him back together, threatened to take over his mind. He shook his head. "The portal hurt me, really badly. And now weird stuff that I don't understand and can't control is happening to me. And it's not getting any better."

"But it's already gotten better." Sam stated. "You haven't...changed into that ghost version of yourself since right after the accident, right?"

Danny bit his lip, now nervous. "Yeah." He lied.

"And you've managed to not start floating or turn invisible in front of people." Danny nodded, then Sam continued. "So that means you can control this."

The black-haired boy vigorously shook his head. "I...I don't want to have to. I just...just want this...this sickness, this infection gone. I can't eat or sleep. I always feel like I'm gonna throw up, I'm so..so worried. It's only a matter of time before everyone sees what a freak I am." He hatefully spit out the word freak as his eyes started to water.

Tucker and Sam remained silent for several moments. Then Sam gently put her hand on his. "You're not a freak, Danny. You're just ...different. Are you sure that's a bad thing?"

Danny shook his head again. "I just want to be normal."

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other for a second and then turned back to Danny but all three remained silent. Just then a tear leaked from Danny's eye. He quickly wiped his face trying to cover it up. Body flickering invisible, he scrambled up. "I have to go."

"Bye." "See ya." The pair uttered as Danny ran off without looking back.

* * *

Finally home, Danny slammed the door to his room, just as his body flickered intangible again. His shaking hand passed through the doorknob. With shaky breath, the boy slid down the door and onto the floor. He hated running out on his friends like that. But he'd felt his symptoms coming on and didn't want them to see what he feared would come next.

Suddenly, the ball of cold that had lodged itself in his chest since the accident lashed out. No! No! No! He tried to push it down, to suppress it but the cold grew, spread, and threatened to consume him. Danny bit back a shriek as the cold light manifested around his waist. He closed his eyes, not wanting to look. Seconds later, the light passed his eyes, stealing his breath. He stayed there, frozen, praying that what he just thought happened didn't. But there was no denying it- the arctic chill, the weightlessness, the subtle buzz of energy. It'd happened again; he turned into a…

Danny's eyes snapped open as the thought he couldn't ever bare to think cut off. He quickly surveyed the room, then flinched as he noticed reflected neon green light. Dread grew in his stomach at the sight. With little thought, the boy floated (floated!) to his feet. He made his way to the mirror hanging on his closet door. Biting his lip, Danny slowly met the eyes of the figure in the mirror. Glowing, other-wordly green eyes. The light swirled like his parent's ghost portal downstairs. Danny blinked and the figure copied the action. It was his reflection but those weren't his eyes. His eyes weren't inhumanly deep. They didn't glow with eerie, mesmerizing light. His eyes were icy blue, the same color as his father's. They were completely human, not ghostly...not the eyes of a monster.

But those were his eyes. He studied the rest of the reflection- spectral glow, snowy white hair, inhumanly pale skin, color-inverted black and white jumpsuit. Of all the weird things that had happened to him since the accident, this, this was the worst part, the absolute worst part, when he turned into a ghost. No, he shook his head; he didn't 'turn into a ghost' he just looked like one. There was no way he was a ghost, some inhuman creature that had parents hunted. No he was just...sick, diseased, contaminated.

He'd hoped and prayed that this sickness would go away but even when he was himself, Danny could still feel it under his skin, running through his veins, in his chest. The infection was always there, pulsing and waiting to overtake him. And the boy was terrified that one day it would. He already sometimes wanted to do things, not human things. He wanted to jump into the air and never come down. At night, he wanted to sneak out and invisibly stalk around town. And sometimes he wanted to use his powers, no no his symptoms to get back on his bullies at school. He was terrified that he would turn into an evil, soulless ghost like the ones his parents told him stories about as a kid. One who forgot about his human life and just single-mindedly pursued his twisted obsession (not that he had any idea what that would be).

The boy shook his head again, hating that his heart which should be racing with anxiety was barely beating. He glanced back at his eerie reflection. He hated that Sam and Tucker even saw this at all but he never wanted them to see it again. That's why he lied to them; he didn't want his friends to see the monster he was hiding just under his frail attempts at normalcy.

Taking a deep but thoroughly unsatisfying breath, Danny pushed those thoughts away. Mentally, he reached for the little warm spot in his chest. Coaxing it with gritted teeth, the boy finally sighed in relief as he felt the warmth spread. The white light sparked again and seconds later, Danny stood in front of the mirror, warm, heavy, and completely normal looking. The boy ran his hands through his hair, though his wrinkled his nose at the still lingering cold.

But that would be gone soon and all of this would be over after he told his parents. It was his parents' machine that poisoned him. But if his parents had done this to him, then they could find a way to fix him.

* * *

The next morning, Danny sat at the kitchen table with Jazz, silently stirring his cereal. He bit his lip, debating how to break the subject of his ghostly symptoms to his parents. While his dad was happily preparing his toast, the door to the lab opened and Danny's mom walked through holding some metallic gadget. Pulling her hood down and her goggles off, she proudly placed it on the table. "Two more days, and it's done."

At her proclamation, Dad turned around. "It's done!"

The man scooped up the device while the other adult frowned. "No Honey."

Her correction was cut off by an electronic voice from the machine. "Welcome to the Fenton Finder."

Dad beamed, showing off the device to the kids. "This baby uses radio waves to track ghosts!"

Danny paled. "It uses what to track what?" For some reason, he felt nervous but there was no reason to be right? (He wasn't a ghost, no. Nope, no way)

Instead of answering, Dad focused enraptured on the screen. The device beeped and the electronic voice declared. " There is a ghost in five feet."

A curious and excited look passed over Dad's face as he studied the display. With Mom following close behind, the father walked forward following the beeping from the machine. Danny tensed as his parents approached. Without thinking, the boy scrambled out of his chair until he backed up against the wall.

"That can't be right." His Dad muttered, still looking down as Danny's mom gave the Fenton Finder a questioning look.

Meanwhile Danny felt a surge of cold from his chest. No! Not now! Suddenly, the cold flowed through his veins as his body disappeared. Glancing down at himself, his eyes widened in fear. He held his breath, mentally begging his body to turn visible again. With a tingle, the cold receded as his body reappeared. Danny sighed in relief but then felt a surge of panic. His parents were right in front of him. What if they saw?! Sure, he was going to tell them but not like this!

Danny then glanced up to find his parents still staring at their invention. They...hadn't noticed? He didn't know whether he was relieved or disappointed. No, this was a good thing. This was his chance. He gulped, gathering his courage. "Actually...I need to tell you guys something."

His mother finally looked up at the statement, face turning serious noticing his tone. "What is it sweetie?"

Danny bit his lip. Deciding to approach this slowly, he answered. "I've been having some...symptoms since the accident in the basement. I thought the stuff would go away by itself eventually but it keeps happening and I don't know what to do."

His mom frowned. "Why didn't you tell us earlier? At the hospital, they said you might have issues with your heart from being electrocuted. Are you feeling fatigued, out of breath, having any irregular heartbeat?"

Danny shook his head, somewhat surprised at her assumption. But then again, why would she think he had ghost powers because of the portal? No, not powers, symptoms. "No, what's been happening with me has been...weirder."

"What is it, Danno?" His dad asked, smiling comfortingly. "Whatever's happening, you can tell us and we can take you to the doctor to figure out what's going on."

"No...uhhh." The boy rubbed the back of his neck and then exhaled. "What's happening to be has been...ghostly." He cringed at the word as his parent's eyebrows rose. "I...I keep turning invisible and things literally fall through my hands sometimes. And I keep waking up floating above or under my bed, like I fell through it."

His mom tilted her head, brows furrowed in concern. "Danny sweetie, that's…"

"Ridiculous!" Jazz who had been listening silently to the conversation before then interjected. "I can't believe this! Your ghost obsession has polluted his mind so much, he believes it."

Ignoring Jazz's statement, Jack interjected. "A ghost from the portal must be messing with you, son. Everyone knows people can't have ghost powers."

"But!" Danny tried to argue.

Then Jazz raised her hands. "Are you serious?! He's probably having hallucinations. Head trauma from the accident caused by your invention and the psychological damage of living with your ghost nonsense are making him see and feel things that aren't there!"

"No! The stuff that's happening to me is real!" The boy yelled.

"Nothing's happening to you sweet heart." His mother responded comfortingly. "These probably are hallucinations. Jack, have we ever tested if high ectoplasmic contamination can cause hallucinations?"

"But it's probably a ghost messing with our boy, Madds."

"I can't believe you too! Ghosts aren't real!" Jazz shook her head furiously.

"But!" Danny tried to interject again.

As the conversation dissolved into an argument, Danny's head started spinning. They...they weren't listening. They didn't believe him.

"I'm telling you! There's a ghost messing with Danny!"

No there wasn't. It was only his own stupid body betraying him. The boy's hands started shaking.

"He's fallened for your stupid obession! Or he's using it to actually get your attention for once!"

"What's that supposed to mean young lady?"

The three started to argue furiously, ignoring the teenager as his panic quickly increased. They didn't believe him. They weren't going to help him and now they were mad.

"You two are always down there with that stupid portal thing! And won't pay any attention to us. No wonder Danny's doing this! Thinking you'll maybe pay attention if it has something to do with ghosts!"

Ghosts, ghosts. It was always about stupid ghosts. And now he was one. No, now he wasn't a ghost. He wasn't. Ironically he wanted to disappear, to sink through the floor, hide in the darkest corner, fly until he was miles away. Panting breath exited Danny's mouth. Was...was he falling?

With a startled yell, Danny found himself phased halfway into the floor.

And then, the eyes of his parents and sister fell on him, their jaws dropping as they took in the wavering transparency of his lower half and his legs phased into the floor.

Choking out a sob, Danny cried. "Help me! Please! Make it stop!"

* * *

Needless to say, seeing Danny phased through the floor quickly convinced everyone, even Jazz that what was happening to him was very much real. And after an initial freak out (and once Jack realized there was no ghost invisibility following his son and using its powers on him), both parents reacted fairly well.

"Can you guys figure out how to cure me?" Danny asked his parents after a lengthy discussion about what had been happening to him since the accident (that is minus one little, tiny, in no way significant detail).

The two parents looked between themselves, worriedly. Then Danny's mom took his hand. "I promise your father and I will try our hardest to figure out how this is happening to you and to make it stop."

"We'll figure this out Danny-boy." His father gave him a comforting smile.

The boy nodded. "Thanks Mom and Dad."

Glancing at the clock, Mom stated. "School's already started. Jazz, I'll write you a note explaining why you're late. And Danny, you're staying home so we can get some blood and hair samples from you and start figuring out how to get rid of your… symptoms." Seeing how Danny wrung his hands nervously at the thought of having his blood drawn, she continued gently. "I promise we'll be gentle Danny. We wouldn't do anything you aren't comfortable with."

So then Jazz headed to school while Danny stayed at home with his parents.

* * *

After a day of having samples taken and helping in the lab, Sam and Tucker knocked on the door to Fentonworks.

"Hey guys." Danny greeted them as they started up the stairs into his room.

While Tucker carefully avoided his eyes, Sam crossed her arms. "You weren't in school today."

"Yeah." Danny shrugged. "I told Mom and Dad this morning and I've been helping them find some way to cure me." He ended the statement with a small smile; he definitely felt better after coming clean to his parents.

Sam studied his face for a moment and then shook her head. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes." Danny answered, voice completely confident.

"I...I just don't want you to only be doing this because you're afraid." The sincerity and lack of confidence in his female friend's voice invoked a small ball of worry in Danny's gut.

"That's not what I'm doing." Danny replied, though his voice was unsure. It was true, right? He wasn't doing this just because he was scared. Yeah, he was scared but that wasn't just it.

Before he could think on it anymore, Tucker interjected. "We just wanted to say. Danny, no matter what you decide to do Sam and I will support you. We're your friends and will always have your back."

Danny smiled at his friend's kind words. "Thanks guys. I promise after this everything will be back to normal."

* * *

After two long days of waiting for his parents to finish their invention, Danny stood in the lab nervously studying a silver and neon green dream catcher.

"This is the Fenton Ghost Catcher." Dad proudly proclaimed.

Danny's frown deepened as his mom shook her head. "It's not designed to catch ghosts per say, though it could do that. It expunges ectoplasmic contamination." At Danny's confused and slightly nervous look, she clarified. "You have a lot of ectoplasm in your body, much higher than normal, even compared to your father and I who work with ectoplasm constantly. And that's what was causing your symptoms." She motioned to the device. "The 'mesh' is a grid of ectoplasm repellent material which normal matter passes through harmlessly. It will draw the ectoplasm out of you."

"And no ectoplasm means no symptoms?" Danny asked tentatively.

"Yes, son. You'll be right as rain in no time." His dad replied confidently.

"And you're sure it will work?" Danny asked, wringing his hands.

Dad answered proudly. "Of course. It will."

His mom smiled at him. "We tested it on the samples you gave us. Between that, what you told us, and the other data we collected, your father and I are sure it will work and with no side effects. So there's nothing to worry about. We thought of everything."

The boy focused on the device again, the worry still worming through his gut. Part of him still doubted this would work. It couldn't be that easy, right? Just go through the Ghost Catcher, and bam, back to normal like nothing ever happened. Could it really purge him of the ghostliness haunting him with no other effects? Especially when he hadn't told them everything.

Guilt knotted in the boy's gut. He hadn't told his parents about his...other appearance, about how he could turn into a ghost. Like with Sam and Tucker, he didn't want them to see him like that, to really see the monster, the freak he was. They would never look at him the same, even if the invention worked and that other appearance was gone. Plus they didn't need to see it, right? They had managed to figure out how to fix him anyway. And his freaky other form would be gone soon so they would never have to know.

Danny shook his head, trying to clear the thought. But he still didn't really feel confident."It's not going to hurt, right?"

"Of course not!...Probably." Dad answered unhelpfully.

The teenager paled. "Probably?!"

"Jack!" At the same time, the woman rebuked the other scientist and then put her arm around her son. "Sweetie, everything is going to be fine. It's not going to hurt and everything will be back to normal before you know it." Mom then stepped away. "Are you ready, sweetie?"

Walking forward, Danny held his arm in front of him until his palm sat inches from the mess. As he approached, he felt the cold flitter in his chest, the energy swirling through his veins. It almost felt like it was..trying to get away? Like it was repulsed by the mesh. The feeling sent dread through his chest. It felt...wrong. He froze, part of him wanting to get as far away from the device as possible. Did...did he still want to do this? The thought that something would go wrong if he did trickled through his mind.

"Are you alright, son?"

Was he...was he alright? Danny turned to his now worried looking parents, his own brow furrowed in confusion. What had he just been doing? Of course, he wanted to do this!

"Yeah, let's get this over with."

With a nod, his Dad picked up the Ghost Catcher. "I'm just going to pass this over you and that will be it."

Danny braced himself. One last thought- of how he'd finally be normal again, like he wanted-pass through his mind before burn, splitting pain and everything went black.

* * *

The boy's eyes blinked open as he heard something hit the floor.

"Ghost!" The large, orange clad man bellowed. The smaller, blue clad woman heaved a large silver and green device, pointing it at the figure as her shocked expression turned to anger.

Danger! The boy's mind screamed at the action. Without another thought, he fled hearing one of the adults yell something, a name, before he passed up through the ceiling. Flying without thought of where he was going, the boy suddenly stopped, finding himself floating above what looked like a park, the playground and nearby woods abandoned and barely lit.

Wait! Floating! How was he floating?! He looked down at himself, his eyes focusing on his white gloves. He hadn't been wearing gloves earlier, had he? Yeah, he'd been wearing his favorite shirt and jeans, but now he was in a black and white suit...like the ones the two adults from earlier had been wearing.

Mom and Dad, the information drifted across his mind. His parents! How had he forgotten that? But they'd yelled at him. Mom had pointed a gun at him as he left. Why...why would they do that? And….they'd shouted a name as he flew away. Danny, that's what they had said. That was his name, Danny! And he'd forgotten that too!

But…. Mom and Dad hadn't been directing the name at him but at something behind him. He hadn't seen it before he flew away. Danny quickly spun around, mouth falling open. He was still floating, still flying. How was he doing this?!

And then he remembered, earlier. Before the pain, before he ran. He remembered seeing himself in the bathroom mirror after...the accident, glowing with a black and white suit on…. And floating like he was now. A few strands of white hair entered his peripheral vision. White, like in the mirror before. He had thought he was a ghost back then, earlier, but he'd turned back into himself. All he needed to do was find the spark of warmth in his chest, near where his heart beat.

Danny mentally searched ...and there was nothing. There was nothing!? No warmth, no heartbeat, and...and he wasn't breathing. When had he stopped breathing?! He felt from the warm again, mentally prodding his chest. No! No NO! Where was it?!

A white ring of light formed around his waist. Yes! Earlier, that had happened before he turned back into himself. But ...the light fizzled out. He tried again but it fizzled out. A third time, and nothing!

No! No NO! This was not happening! It couldn't...he wasn't...No.

_I'm a ghost._ The thought passed through his mind softly, slowly, quietly. Danny shook his head, denying it. But he knew it was true. Like how he knew his name was Danny, it was just...there.

He was a ghost, a real, proper, actually ghost. Meaning….he was dead. He'd died. His..his parent's machine, it had killed him, completely this time. He was dead, a freak. His own parents hadn't recognized him. They hated him and now he couldn't go home.

At the thought, the ghost (because there was no denying what he was, not any more) wept.

* * *

"Danny!"

The boy's eyes blinked open. Why...was he on the floor of the lab? He squinted at the bright lights. And why did his head hurt?

"Danny! Can you hear me?! Say something sweetie!"

His eyes finally focused on the figure in front of him. Red hair, a blue jumpsuit, his mom. The boy reached out hand up to rub his head. "Ow"

At the muttered word, his mom's eyes lit up as she threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry baby! Are you okay?"

Danny hugged her back, nose wrinkled in confusion. "What happened? I remember walking down into the lab and then…" He trailed off.

His mom's own brow furrowed in confusion but she remained silent. Danny's eyes then focused on his dad, whose mouth was pinched shut in anger. "That ghost tricked us!"

Danny paled. What...how? Did they find out? "What...what ghost?"

Obviously gauging his reaction as fear of the 'ghost' and not nervousness of his parent's discovery, his mom rubbed his back. "It's okay, Danny. We wouldn't let it get you again."

Danny gapped. "What?"

"You were being overshadowed the whole time!" His father exclaimed. "The stupid ghost was using you as a meat puppet! Probably since the accident!"

"Uhhh...overshadowing? Meat puppet?...what...what are you talking about?" Danny stuttered.

His mom frowned and then her eyes widened in realization. "Of course you don't remember. Overshadowing is when a ghost...takes over someone's body. The victim can't control what they do and doesn't remember what happened to them." She then paled. "Oh, Danny. That ghost, it had you for a month. A month and we didn't notice! And you probably don't remember much since the accident, do you?"

Danny stared at her. Did he remember? His mind swirled with the onslaught of information. The boy shook his head. At the same time, his dad kneeled down beside his mom. "We are so proud of you son." He smiled gently. "You managed to break free long enough to tell us what was happening. Said you were having weird, ghostly symptoms but I guess the ghost wouldn't let you tell us the truth, huhhh?"

That...didn't sound right. "I don't ...uhhh….that's...I don't remember."

His mom put her hand on his arm. "It's alright baby. You don't have to talk. You've been through a lot. Let's make sure you're not hurt and get you to bed, okay?"

Danny nodded again as his parents gently helped him up. They quickly checked him for injuries while Danny furiously tried to remember what happened. He remembered telling his parents about his symptoms and getting them to cure him. He remembered staring at the Ghost Catcher, horrible pain. And then he woke up on the floor. Huh, so much for it not hurting.

"Come on, sweetie." His mom led him up the stairs. "Get some sleep. We will talk about everything in the morning."

Robotically, Danny laid down on his bed. As the door closed, he heard his parents urgently chatting behind the door, a few words drifting through the door.

"Capture...ghosts ...pay...that monster…" "How...Jack...danger...protect...kids?"

He stared at the ceiling, mind spinning. Mom and Dad said he shouldn't remember what happened while he was overshadowed...but he did for some reason. And he hadn't felt like someone else was controlling his actions. So then why did his parents think they saw a ghost? What did this all mean?

Danny also absently noted that the cold that had lodged itself in his chest for the past month was gone. He mentally prodded the area, but nothing. He even tried to trigger the weird symptoms but nothing happened. If fact, he hadn't turned invisible or intangible since he woke up in the lab. And instead of feeling happy or relieved, he felt...sad. A tiny ball of dread lodged itself in his gut. He...he missed whatever he had felt before. It was like...something was missing. Suddenly, a sob escaped his lips. He...he was crying. Why? Another sob passed and tears started streaming. Why...why did he suddenly feel devastated, like his life fell apart? He wanted to go home. But…. he was home. What?

Trying to quiet the sobs, Danny cried himself to sleep.

* * *

At some point, Danny the ghost cried himself dry. He focused on his shaking hands. How did this happen to him? Why….why did he go in that stupid portal?! Why didn't his parent's stupid ghost catcher not work? It was supposed to cure him! Not turn him into a ghost permanently! He was supposed to be a normal human boy, not this...this freak, this monster. He wasn't supposed to be a ghost! He was supposed to be normal. He wasn't supposed to be dead!

Danny shook his head. Dead, he was dead. And...somewhere at home was his body. Were his parents crying over it right now, thinking he was gone? Were they mourning him? Would his sister find out after she got back from the library, his friends tomorrow? Oh god, his life was over. He'd never get to say goodbye, never get to go on his first date or have his first kiss. He'd never graduate. Never get a job, or get married. Or have kids. He'd never get to grow up.

But...but he didn't feel dead. No he couldn't be dead. He didn't feel all that different from normal. He...he needed to see it, his body. If he saw himself, laying at home dead, then maybe he could figure this out, figure out what to do next. Maybe he could move on.

So the ghost flew across town until he came to Fentonworks, his home. He bit his lip, terrified of what he would find and how his parents might react if they saw him. His whole body shook as he approached.

Then he paused, outside his window. He sensed ...something, coming from his room. Danny phased through the window and froze, eyes widening. There in his bed was...himself, his body. Had...had Mom and Dad just left his….his corpse up here, in his room? He frowned. He...it looked so peaceful like he...it was asleep. Danny floated forwards until he was a foot away. He heard something. Was...was that breath? He focused on the body's chest. It was rising and falling, like breathing in sleep. The ghost leaned closer. And he could hear a steady heartbeat in the chest.

He...he was alive. How?! How was his body alive? Was he in a coma or something? And this was some kind of out of body experience? Yeah, yes! That was it. Incredible joy flowed through Danny. He wasn't too late! He had a chance, he could grow up, be human, normal. The ghost floated directly over his body. But how did he get back in...there, where he belonged?

And then the body's eyes opened and it shot up into a sitting position. Startled, the ghost turned invisible and intangible, backing away. Then joy turned to horror.

"Hello? Is someone there?" It, the body, spoke. The head turned from side to side, intelligent eyes searching the room. "Hello?" Came a last whisper before the body laid back down and fell instantly asleep.

Danny the ghost shook in fear as he fled again. Oh, god. There was someone in his body. And it wasn't him! There was someone in his bed, his house! How...how. Terror surged through the ghost. His chest heaved though he didn't need to breathe. No! No! NO! What the hell was that? What the freaking, hell, oh god! His mind spilled every curse he knew and then some.

He stopped in the park again, crashing into a tree. Doubling over, the ghost felt like he was going to throw up but nothing came up. He...he couldn't even feel his stomach heaving.

Impostor! There was an impostor in his bed! His mind raced and then crashed to a halt.

Wait...wait...wait...wait...wait.

How...how was someone, not him in his body? It...it wasn't a ghost. He knew that instinctively. So what...who?

Then a horrible, awefull, terrifying, horrifying thought entered his mind.

Danny...Danny Fenton was in his bed at home. That...that wasn't his body. He...he was the impostor. The ghost was the impostor, not the boy in bed. Mom and Dad ...the Fentons said ghosts were evil. They were tricky, sneaky, selfish. They only looked out for themselves, confusing and distressing the living. And could even trick and confuse themselves.

And Danny...no...the ghost…the phantom...he was an impostor, he...wasn't real, a confused post human consciousness imprinted in ectoplasm (that's what Mom...Maddie always said, right?)

If Danny Fenton was asleep in his bed, then who (or what) was Phantom?


	2. Chapter 2

Note:Thank you so much for all the views, kudos, bookmarks, and comments. I am so happy people are interested in this story and I am always happy to here your opinions and prediction so feel free to leave a comment! Happy reading!

The self-dubbed Phantom soon found himself flying away from Amity Park. He...he just needed to get away from everything. Buildings and roads blurred around him until buildings became sparse as more trees popped up. At this speed, the increasing distance was exhilarating...until it wasn't. The ghost paused, floating over a road. A sign in front of him read- Amity Park 20 miles. The name of his home sent an ache through his chest. But...it wasn't his home.

Phantom kept flying, the wind stinging his tear-stained face. The ache in his chest flared again, increasing with every mile. Finally a sob burst from the ghost's lips as he hovered to a stop. His head turned side to side and let out a laugh, realizing where he was. Lake Eerie, about an hour and a half from Amity Park. He and Dad went fishing here last summer. Both of them had fallen out of the boat and got covered in mud. They hadn't caught many fish but it had been a fun day.

Then Phantom frowned. That hadn't happened to him though. That was Danny's, the real Danny's memory. The experience belonged to the human boy who was sleeping in his bed now. No, not his bed. It wasn't his bed, his house, his family, or his life. The thought of the family, friends, and home that wasn't his sent another pang through the ghost's chest. A shaking hand went to the throbbing pulsing organ in his chest, the feeling that had replaced the comforting, ever present heartbeat. An almost physical ache rested there, an ache that had just grown since he left Amity Park.

He shook his head, trying to push the pain away as he continued floating around the lake. His eyes fell on the shack where Danny and his dad had rented the little row boat they fished in. They'd eaten a picnic lunch and gotten milkshakes on the way home. Phantom smiled again at the memory, though he soon clenched his fists. Why was this happening? And how, how did he remember any of that? It felt...so real. All of it, a thousand memories of growing up at Fentonwork, of being Jack and Maddie Fenton's son, Jazz's brother, and Sam and Tucker's friend, all of it felt undeniably real. But it couldn't be, it wasn't.

The ghost stayed at the lake for what must have been hours until the ache in his chest and the accompanying homesickness overwhelmed him. Part of him wanted to fly farther way, to never go back to Amity Park but the emptiness, the pain in his chest seemed to draw him back. At some level, Phantom knew that he couldn't stay away,

So he turned around, flying back to the small town. The ghost paused in front of the large Welcome to Amity Park sign, observing the smiling family proclaiming how it was a nice place to live. He turned his eyes to the town in the below- the park, the mall, Casper High, the Nasty Burger. And to his left, along the horizon, he could just make out the Ops Center on top of Fentonworks. All of it sparked familiarity in Phantom's mind. As the sun rose, he debated where to go and what to do. But there was nowhere and nothing. He didn't have any friends and family and as a clearly inhuman creature, the ghost couldn't just hang around town like a human teenager.

Phantom bit his lip. Maybe he could go through the Fenton portal to the Ghost Zone? That's where ghosts belong, right? But what was the ghost zone even like? With a start, the ghost realized he didn't know. He didn't remember the ghost zone at all. Shouldn't he remember it if he was there before he was…..what exactly had he been doing before this? He remembered everything of Danny Fenton's life both before and after the accident. But nothing else... Why? And how? What did all this mean? No answers came so Phantom found himself wandering back to the park. He glimpsed a familiar teen on his way to school and instantly turned invisible.

* * *

Danny blinked awake, sunlight flitting over his eye lids. With a sleepy groan, the boy squinted his crusty-feeling eyes. Had he been...crying? Yeah, he had. But why? Why had he been sad? Rolling onto his back, Danny stared up at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes, racking his brain but he couldn't remember why he had been sad. And now his stomach churned with unease, a lost feeling he couldn't place.

His brow furrowed. And there was...something else his sluggish brain was trying to remember. Last night, he'd seen a glowing figure floating over him, though the being had disappeared in the blink of an eye. He'd sat up and called but received no reply. At the memory, Danny shook his head. No, that couldn't have happened; it was definitely a dream.

With that thought, the boy sat up with a groan. He yawned, huffing. As much as he really wanted to go back to sleep, he needed to get up and get ready for school. After a quick trip to the bathroom and getting dressed, Danny headed downstairs to find his parents in the kitchen.

"But it got away Madds!" His dad was yelling. "We need to go after that monster!"

"Our containment devices aren't even ready yet! What are we supposed to do when we catch it?"

Dad clenched his fists. "I don't want to catch it."

For some reason, the sinisterness of the statement made Danny shiver.

"What good will destroying the ghost do Jack?" Mom spread her arms, pointing. "We need to capture and study it, find out its weakness so we can exploit it with any other ghosts that came through the portal."

"And then we can make that scum pay." Dad smiled.

Danny's unease just increased, making his stomach flop; there's no way he'd be able to force any food down this morning. Not bothering to grab breakfast, the boy sneaked out the door. He hoped his parents wouldn't notice for a while; the teen definitely didn't want them hovering over him.

Once out the door, Danny started walking towards the park which he would cut through to get to school. His body moving thoughtlessly as his mind wandered, dreamlike. The boy sighed, studying his surroundings. It was really pretty today- the mild temperature, cloudless sky, the plentiful sunshine. And the sunrise had been gorgeous this morning.

Danny stopped in his tracks at that thought, eyes blinking more awake. He hadn't been awake to see the sunrise? Heck, he was barely awake now. The air shifted around him and he shivered. Had it gotten cooler?

"Danny. Danny." Someone was calling his name. "Danny!"

At the sound of Sam and Tucker's voices, Danny jerked up, suddenly feeling more awake. Sam frowned, noticing the strange look on his face. "What's up with you?"

"Oh." Finally noticing his friends, the boy shook his head, trying to get out of his funk. "I was just...thinking."

Sam looked at him questioningly but didn't comment. At the same time, Tucker looked up from his phone. "Hey Danny! How are you doing, man?"

Danny furrowed his brow; how was he doing? The boy shrugged. "I'm good, I think."

Sam studied his face. "So did you go through with it?"

Danny nodded, staring down at his hand as if waiting for it to turn invisible. "Yeah, I haven't turned invisible or intangible since last night. No symptoms."

"So your parents' invention actually worked?" Tucker asked. "What did they do anyway? Spray you with some goo."

Danny cringed at the mental image but laughed. "No, they made this thing called the Ghost Catcher."

While Tucker chuckled, Sam asked with a grin. "Do you think they're going to use it to catch ghosts?"

Danny's laughter quieted as he apprehensively half-grinned, remembering his parents' conversation this morning. "They just might."

Sam and Tucker also quieted as they turned to look at him questioningly, clearly thrown by his change in tone. "What do you mean?" Tucker asked.

The black-haired boy bit his lip. "Something weird happened when we used the ghost catcher."

"Weird? Weird how?" Sam ventured with a little wariness.

"Well… Dad passed the Ghost Catcher over me. And I passed out at some point. It hurt, it hurt a lot. And when I came too, Mom and Dad were freaking out about some ghost that showed up after I passed out."

"Wait, are you serious? They saw a ghost, like an actual ghost." Tucker waved his hand that wasn't holding his phone.

Danny nodded. "Yeah. I didn't see it though; I was still unconscious. Mom and Dad said the ghost flew off before they could get a good look at it."

"Wow." "That's…" Was all the two friends managed to mutter with wide eyes.

"And that's not the weirdest part." Danny then wrung his hands, suddenly feeling nervous about how his friends would react to the last part. "Mom and Dad...they said that the ghost had been ...possessing me since the accident."

"Possessing you...like...like there was a ghost controlling your body for the last month!" Tucker seemed to pale while Sam's brow furrowed.

The girl shook her head. "But...you weren't acting weird...other than the powers. You acted like yourself."

Danny shrugged, eyes flitting nervously between his two friends. At the same time, Tucker waved his arms. "Come on Sam. Really though? What if the ghost was a really good actor?!"

"Why would a ghost want to act like an angsty teenager?"

"Hey!" Danny protested.

But Sam ignored his offended look. "Danny's parents were probably confused...or seeing things. There's no way you were possessed, right Danny?"

"I mean… I didn't feel like I was possessed." He rubbed the back of his neck. "And Mom and Dad said if I was overshadowed, I shouldn't remember anything that happened. But I do….I think."

"See." Sam put one hand on her hip, pointing towards Tucker with the other. "So there wasn't a ghost."

Tucker's shoulders feel and he sighed in an odd mix of disappointment and relief. "I guess not."

Silently, Danny nodded in agreement, though he wasn't completely sure his friends were right. He shivered, remembering his weird dream last night ...or was it a dream? Doubt balled in his gut but the boy did not dwell on it, distracted by friends who were quickly walking away and chatting about school. He ran to catch up and barely thought about the cold, yet familiar presence he sensed watching him.

* * *

As Danny and his friends walk away towards the school, Phantom remained invisibly floating in the park. Part of him wanted to follow Danny, half hoping that being near the human would help him figure things out, even if he didn't want to make himself known. The rest of him felt guilty. He'd been possessing someone, for a month and hadn't even realized until the words came out of Danny's mouth. How could he hurt, violate someone like that and not even bat an eye? Maybe he was a monster like Mom and...the Fentons said.

Before he could think of anything else, the ghost was distracted by a rustling behind him. He turned and with a gasp, came face to face with a little girl, around 4 years old. The child's eyes widened with shock, mirroring the ghost's expression.

Phantom put his now very visible hands in front of him in a placating motion. In the most calming voice he could muster, he whispered. "Hey, it's okay."

The girl instantly let out a high pitched scream. She turned and ran away, yelling. "Mommy!"

The ghost cursed and then went rigid as he heard a panicked female voice answer. "Sophie!"

If Phantom had a heart, it would be pounding out of his chest. He stared at his hands, trying to will them invisible. Why wasn't it working?! Abandoning that, he twisted around, looking for a place to hide. No! No No! The trees and bushes weren't thick enough. And why did he glow like a freaking firefly? His hands gripped his hair as the sounds of voices drifted closer. His eyes flickered around the surrounding. There! Those were the bathrooms! The information drifted through his mind.

Phantom fled, panic flaring at being out in the open for a few seconds, before he slammed the door to the single-person stall. He took an unnecessary but still very satisfying breath and locked the door. He was safe from being discovered… for now.

The ghost then clenched his fist, the fear giving way to frustration. "Damnit, I didn't even do anything!" He gritted his teeth, berating himself. "I somehow managed to terrify a little girl without even trying! Way to go, Fenton!"

Phantom froze, cringing at the thoughtless, automatic phrase. No, he wasn't Danny Fenton. He wasn't any Fenton at all, or even human. He was a ghost and it was normal for humans to be afraid of ghosts. And they should be; ghosts were dangerous, destructive creatures. At least that's what his...Danny's parents said. Phantom frowned. But...he didn't feel dangerous and destructive. And he didn't want to be. He didn't want people to be afraid of him. He wanted to be a good ghost, if that was even possible.

Pushing those thoughts away, Phantom finally turned away from the door. His eyes surveyed the dirty room, finally falling on the mirror. The neon green eyes meet those of his reflection. The ghost silently floated forward, finding marginally familiar ectoplasmic green eyes, snow white hair, and black and white jumpsuit. A memory of seeing that reflection, those green eyes wide with fear, in the dirty mirror in the Fenton's basement, passed through the ghost's mind. He turned his attention back to his reflection and his frown deepened. The reflection was the same as then, as after the accident. Meaning….the layout of freckles, the nose inherited from Maddie Fenton, the checks and jawline with hints of baby fat but showing signs of hardening. Though the coloring was different, all his facial features were identical to Danny Fenton's.

His glowing gloved hand reached forward to meet his reflection. Yes, that was in fact his face. And it felt like his face, not like a foreign mask or an illusion, but like this was what he was supposed to look like. But why? Why did Phantom look like he could be Danny's twin, if he was human? At that thought, the ghost removed his hand and made a confused face in the mirror. Was that the answer? Had he been Danny's twin in life? Or maybe another relative that happened to closely resemble the boy? Phantom shook his head. No, he just knew that wasn't it. Plus, it wouldn't explain why he'd thought he was Danny Fenton just hours ago.

Turning away for that cursed reflection, Phantom balled his fist, frustration flaring again. "I still have no idea what's going on!"

The ghost then gritted his teeth; even his voice sounded like Danny's! What was Phantom supposed to do when he had no idea who he really was?

With a huff, Phantom shook his head. There was no point in driving himself crazy trying to figure this out when answers seemed unreachable. With some effort, he flickered invisible and floated up through the roof. He briefly surveyed the town below him; maybe he could find something to do to distract himself, from his questions and his guilt.


	3. Chapter 3

Danny yawned, his eyes drooping. He'd felt pretty awake after running into Sam and Tucker on the way to school. But man, he felt really tired now. Sleepily, he stared down at his lunch, poking at the questionable meat. Grimacing, he took a bite. Across from him, Tucker slammed down his own tray while Sam placed down her lunch bag down.

"Hey guys." Danny acknowledged his friends as they sat down.

With a nod, Tucker dug in while Danny and Sam looked on in disgust, though for different reasons. The blue-eyed boy pushed his tray away and Sam gave him a sympathetic look. "You can have my apple." The boy gladly accepted it, taking a lazy bit as Sam continued with wrinkled nose. "I can't believe they think it's okay to feed us this stuff."

"It's not that bad." Tucker said, with a full mouth.

"Yes it is." Both his friends quipped, drawing a sheepish look from Tucker.

"That's why I've been petitioning the school board about changing the menu." The girl crossed her arms. "No more mystery meat and some actually vegetarian options."

Danny tipped his head, blinking tiredly. "I can agree with that." He took a sip from his water bottle. "Never having to even look at mystery meat again would be great."

Tucker continued shoveling food into his mouth and shrugged. Finally he swallowed, just as Danny yawned again. "You okay there, Danny?"

Sam blinked at him. Then her expression morphed into one of concerns. "Yeah. You were yawning all through Spanish too."

The black-haired teen waved off his friend's concerns. "Yeah I'm fine. School just been boring today, like really boring. Especially since I don't have to deal with limbs randomly turning invisible." He half smiled, though little relief came from the statement.

Tucker nodded. "I guess it would be. A lot less stressful at least."

"Yeah. It looks like things are back to normal." Sam added.

"I guess they are." Though he tried to smile, Danny's lips turned down. His thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Sam and Tucker that morning. And his dream that he wasn't sure was a dream. Were things back to normal? Or was something ghostly still going on? To Danny's surprise, the thought that everything was back to normal didn't make him happy. Actually he barely hoped that was the case. The now familiar uneasy feeling welled but not at the thought that something ghostly might still be thrust upon him. Instead it sprung from...something else, some unreachable reason just out of the boy's perception.

Noticing Danny's strange change in mood, Sam and Tucker glanced at each other. The barrett-wearing boy poked his food, as the conversation lulled into awkward silence. "So…." He ventured, trying to change the subject. "Are you guys excited to see the new Femalien movie on Saturday?"

Danny nodded, trying to shake himself out of his funk, though his mind felt fuzzy. The sounds of his friends' conversation drifted over him, barely penetrating his watery brain. Across him, Tucker waved his arms at something Sam said, causing Sam to frown in disagreement. The two became so caught up in their conversation, they failed to notice Danny's spaciness. Until a sudden chuckle burst from Danny's lips.

At the act, Danny's eyes suddenly popped open in surprise. He definitely felt more awake as Sam and Tucker whipped their heads towards him questioningly. Tucker wrinkled his brow. "What's so funny?"

Danny just shook his head, perplexed. "I just had a funny thought."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Want to share?"

At that, the boy frowned. A misty thought, something about the movie Sam and Tucker were talking about, fluttered through his mind but then out of his grasp, disappearing like a ghost in the night. "I...I don't remember." Danny shook his head, trying to shake off the weirdness. "I'm just tired enough that I'm getting a little loopy."

Though his friends quickly accepted the explanation and continued the conversation, Danny remained perplexed, a small ball of worry growing in his gut. He slept pretty well last night all things considered so why….

Just then the bell signalling the end of lunch rang. The three friends stood up, making their way to their classes. At a fork in the hallway, the group parted ways.

"See you after science guys." Danny gave a wry smile. "Good luck in English."

"Bye." "See ya." The two friends waved and walked away.

The blue-eyed boy also turned away, smile falling. He still felt tired, exhausted even, but he wanted to enjoy science class all the same. They were watching a documentary about NASA; that should be interesting, right? The boy couldn't seem to muster his usual enthusiasm. His stomach flopped, anxiety returning, the feeling like something was off.

Just then, Danny arrived at his locker. With struggling hands, he turned the dial and the door swung up. The boy sighed, surveying his books and papers. He needed this book for science, and that notebook. Should probably get the binder too. And the book for history. Unsteady hands reached for the book and Danny sniffed.

Wait. He paused, stiffening. A shaking hand reached for his cheek. The boy moved his fingers to find…water? Only a few drops, but definitely real. His lips pursed. He'd...he'd been crying, again, water leaking from his eyes. But he wasn't...it didn't, it didn't make sense. He hadn't even noticed until now. With a groan of frustration, Danny angrily whipped his face and slammed his locker shut. Mind buzzing with confusion, the boy tried to push away the feelings. He didn't have time for this; he needed to get to class. But anxiety still swirled in his gut.

* * *

After leaving the park, Phantom flew off in a random direction, looking for something to occupy his distressed mind. The ghost found himself floating through the mall.

"Do you want to play with me?" One little boy asked another boy in the play area; the pair smiled widely, giggling as they played superheroes. The two kid's moms chatted, one woman laughing at something her new friend said. On a bench across the play area, an elderly couple shared a milkshake. The ghost smiled sadly at the humans, at the connections both old and new being forged and reforged. It sent a pang of loneliness through his chest.

He floated away, trying to maintain his wavering invisibility while browsing GameStop. Oh look, the new Spiderman PS4 game. He'd been saving up for months...no Danny had. Phantom frowned, putting the game down. Then behind him, the ghost heard a gasp. He whipped around to find a shocked employee gaping at him. Cringing, he flickered invisible and flew until he was sure no one was around; the ghost stopped in an abandoned stock room. Phantom sighed; he definitely did not want a repeat of what happened in the park...meaning he needed a way to make himself less conspicuous if someone spotted him.

After swiping a jacket from the lost and found, the ghost floated around the mall until he was bored, which didn't take that long. Going to the mall's not all that fun when you have no money, no friends, and have to stay invisible. So Phantom hovered into the parking lot. He squinted in the sunlight. What was that building across the empty lot? He floated forward and shook his head. Oh yeah, it was the movie theater. His eyes studied the posters advertising what movies were playing until his attention focused on one familiar poster. A determined looking female astronaut hefted a futuristic gun on a clearly alien jungle planet. Sinister looking alien creatures lingered in the shadows behind her. The ghost's lips turned up in a smile. Dang, it looked incredible.

Too bad, he didn't have any money. Phantom's smile dropped at that as he studied his transparent hands. Then again, even if he did, it's not like they would let a ghost into the theater; the employees would probably run away screaming first...or call the cops, maybe even the Fentons. Although… the ghost studied the shimmering outline of his hands again. They didn't have to see him.

The thought of sneaking into the movie theater sent a note of guilt and nervousness through whatever the ghost had in place of a stomach. But the desire to see the movie and need for a distraction won out. Invisibility, Phantom crept into the almost empty theater just as the actual movie started. And it was glorious- the perfect mixture of hair-raising thrills, shocking and slightly nauseating gore, and hilarious dark humor. The ghost felt a chuckle well in his throat and one of the other movie goers glanced back in confusion at his muffled laughter. Still grinning, Phantom managed to quit himself as he and the other patron turned their attention back to the screen. At another gag, the ghost shook with silent laughter. Oh, man this was perfect. He wished Sam and Tucker were there to enjoy it with him.

At that thought, Phantom's jovial mode disappeared. Guilt swelled; Sam and Tucker weren't his friends. In fact, he'd overshadowed their best friend, causing Danny distress, anxiety, and fear. Then he'd stolen the boy's face and some of his memories. Phantom didn't deserve to enjoy this, not after what he'd done.

With his muddled thoughts, the ghost didn't notice he had turned visible until an annoyed shouted sounded in front of him. "Hey! Where did that light come from?"

Phantom blinked, eyes whipping to his now glowing hands. Embarrassed and guilty, he flickered invisible just as the couple in front of him stared back in shock. He glanced back at the screen, a tiny part of him wanting to stay but his mind was made up. Mind buzzing with nervous guilt, he silently floated up through the ceiling and into the Amity Park sky, until his view of the town was blocked by the clouds below.

* * *

Once Danny had finally arrived in science class, his increasingly present unease seemed to lessen marginally. Danny sat at his desk with his head propped up by one hand as the teacher played a NASA documentary. The warm classroom, dim lights, and soft murmuring of the video threatened to lure the boy to sleep. Lazily, he blinked at the TV screen, again trying and failing to focus on either the screen or the words. The boy groaned. Why couldn't he focus? They were talking about space. Space, his favorite subject! But his mind kept wandering without direction as the words seemed to just flow over him without penetrating his brain. Danny yawned for what had to be the tenth time. He blinked tiredly again. Why was he so sleepy? Maybe he should close his eyes for a few moments. It couldn't hurt, right?

_Sunlight streamed through the clouds. He floated lazily through one fluffy mass, the mist tickling his face._

"Mr. Fenton!"

With a jolt, Danny jerked up. He blinked, meeting the eyes of his cross-looking teacher as several of his classmates snickered. The boy blushed and stammered. "Sssorry."

Seemingly satisfied, the teacher turned away, starting the video again. The other students soon went back to ignoring him, the spectacle over. Danny remained embarrassed. Had he...fallen asleep in class?! That wasn't like him at all! He might not be as academically crazy as his sister but he tried to pay attention at least. And why was he so tired?!

Danny yawned again but tried to put his focus back on the documentary. He had no success. No matter how much he tried to focus his mind remained fuzzy and blank, everything taking on a dream like quality like he wasn't really there. The teenager struggled through his last two classes, especially history. Time seemed to both stretch and race as the boy fought sleep. He'd blink and nod off to a brief image of clouds and sunlight. Then he would open his eyes, for a split second surprised that he was in the classroom and not floating above Amity Park. Then he would be back fully, taking in his teacher's droning about the American Revolution.

Finally the bell rang and Danny sighed in relief, stuffing his papers in his bag with uncoordinated hands. Zombie-like, he shuffled to his locker. Sam and Tucker meet him not even a minute later.

"You okay, man?" Tucker asked, lips turned down in concern.

Danny shook his head. "I'm just...really tired. I think I'm going to head home and try to get a nap. See you later, guys."

Not waiting for a response, the boy shuffled away, barely registering the worried looks on his friends' faces. At his sluggish pace, it took Danny much longer to get home than it normally would. Without a thought to the loud noises coming from his parents' work in the basement, Danny stubbled up the stairs and collapsed on his bed just as the sun set.

_The sunset was really beautiful up here, away from everything. The wavering light turned the fluffy clouds below him a soft purple color while the few clouds above him reflected pink, like cotton candy. The sky darkened from a dark blue to purple to black. And that's when the stars began twinkling into existence. The boy's gloved hand reached out. Those stars looked so close but so far away. He twirled taking in the all encompassing darkness and his own weightlessness. _

_He smiled sadly. "It's like being in space." Then a sigh as the echoing voice whispered. "The real Danny would love this."_

Danny suddenly sat up, wide awake but mind ripe with confusion and a vague sadness. Getting out of bed, he wrapped his blanket around himself. He stood in front of his window, studying those same stars.

* * *

Above the clouds, time quickly ran away from Phantom as he pouted and stewed in his guilt. But those feelings ran away with the fading light, at least for a time. He floated under the stars, eyes widening in awe at his surroundings. He reached up.

"It's like being in space." Then he sighed, whispering. "The real Danny would love this."

The words sent a pang of pain through his chest. In response, Phantom flew up, as if trying to escape guilt but like the night before, the physical ache in his chest returned as the distance between him and Amity Park increased. He stopped with a sigh once it became unbearable. In the blink of an eye he descended, diving past the clouds. The wind whipped the ghost's face as he closed his eyes. Seconds later, he jerked to a stop, sensing he was only a dozen feet from the ground. Phantom opened his eyes and frowned.

He had stopped outside of his… Fentonworks. The ghosts gripped his hair. Of all the places, why was he drawn here? For a second he thought it maybe was the portal he was feeling connected to, then he spotted a familiar figure in the second floor window. The boy stood in front of his window, wrapped in a blanket and staring into the sky. He then turned his head suddenly, eyes falling in the ghost across the street. With a gasp, Phantom turned invisible but remained stationary, watching Danny until the boy yawned and returned to his bed.

For some reason, actually seeing the boy sent a tangle of emotions and thoughts through the ghost that he couldn't seem to unravel. He felt so guilty and ashamed of what happened. But so much did not make sense. Why did he look like Danny and have his memories? Phantom drifted forward. Part of him wanted to float through that window and actually talk to Danny, maybe see if the two of them could figure this out. But something about the thought terrified him, and not just the thought of Danny's ghost hunting parents. So Phantom stopped, confusion and fear freezing him. Why did he feel so drawn and connected to this human boy?

Then another thought hit him in realization as he remembered something the Fentons said. Ghosts are usually linked to the real world by something or someone, an object or person they fixate on. Their special interest, their ...obsession, root them in the living plane. Phantom's hands shook as the connection, the linking thread between him and the living boy seemed to solidify in his mind. Danny Fenton was his obsession. That would explain Phantom's memories and appearance. It would explain why he felt so connected to the boy.

At the revelation, dread surged in Phantom's mind. Because he remembered something else Mr. and Mrs. Fenton said. Ghosts inevitably hurt or destroy the object of their obsession. Fearful what ifs jumbled Phantom's mind; if he had a heart it would be beating out of his chest. He gripped his hair as the image of Danny Fenton broken and bleeding assaulted in mind.

"No! No! No!" Anger flared as his hands lite with neon green light.

The ghost's eyes widened as the energy flared, though he was barely moved by the new power. Instead the thought of hurting Danny, even on accident, tortured him. He balled his fist as the light extinguished. He might not be normal, alive, or even human. He might not remember who he is or where he came from but Phantom knew that whatever he felt when he thought of Danny Fenton was not evil. He would rather fade than lay one hand on Danny in malice. He didn't want to hurt anyone, not Danny's friends and family and especially not the boy himself.

A protective instinct that Phantom didn't even know he had flared in the ghost. Now more than ever, he wanted to prove Danny's parents wrong. He wanted to be a good ghost and make right for what he did to Danny. And maybe he could do that by making sure the boy was safe and happy. If he had to keep his distance to do that, then all the better; maybe he could protect Danny even from himself.

* * *

Danny stood in front of his window for what could be forever, mind swimming with confusion over his dream. It had felt so real and oddly peaceful, until the end when he felt a flash of guilt before waking up. The boy furrowed his brow, puzzling it out but unable to make any sense. He sighed...and he still felt completely awake, despite literally falling over in exhaustion earlier.

Suddenly, he was flung out of his thoughts by a flash of white light. His head turned and his eyes fell on a glowing black and white humanoid figure across the street. Glowing green eyes blinked at him but the apparition disappeared before Danny could see its face. He stared, slack jawed. Was...had that been the ghost he saw last night, the one Mom and Dad said was possessing him? He shook his head. No, no it couldn't be. He must have imagined it. He looked again and there was still nothing there. Yawning, Danny returned to his bed, trying to put the ghostly thoughts out of his head.

But he couldn't. He just knew there was something out there. Meaning…his stomach twisted… Mom and Dad were right about his being possessed. His brow furrowed again. Except, that still didn't make sense. None of it did. Somehow both his friends and his parents were wrong. There was a ghost, a very real ghost but it (he?) hadn't done anything malevolent. The ghost hadn't even approached him and he was still sure he hadn't been possessed earlier. Groaning, the boy turned over. Why wouldn't this puzzle unravel? Even as Danny's eyelids grew heavy, the wavering unease began creeping in again. But...something fought it off. A foreign, yet familiar protective and protected feeling washed over him just as his breathing slowed in sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

For the next several days, Phantom explored every inch of Amity Park- the park, the mall, the pier, both upscale and poor neighborhoods, office buildings and dozens of businesses both large and small, even the warehouse district and the woods at the edge of town. The ghost found himself floating through areas familiar through his connection to Danny Fenton as well as places he knew Danny would never even want to visit. During the day, he struggled to remain invisible or out of sight of humans, often switching between fear of being discovered and boredom from lacking anything meaningful or entertaining. But his nights were more peaceful, enjoyable even, as he could explore more freely without scaring humans.

In the park, the ghost floated on his back with a book in his hands. He'd swiped it from one of those free little library boxes when he was looking for something to occupy his mind tonight. Lite by his own ghostly glow and his ectoplasmic green eyes, the ghost flipped through the book, eagerly scanning the pages. It was a welcome distraction to his troubled thoughts, though the distraction wouldn't last long.

An unexpected puff of cold air exited the ghost's mouth, startling him out of his thoughts. What was that? It wasn't cold enough to see his breath, not that Phantom actually had to breathe. A green light suddenly shimmered at the edge of his vision and the ghost whipped his head to the side. His eyes feel on...a glowing, floating octopus thing. Its spotted body was the size of a basketball with flexing tentacles nearly the length of his arms. The creature studied him with surprisingly intelligent slitted eyes. Phantom's jaw dropped. Was he actually seeing this? Slowly, he reached forward as if to check that his eyes were not deceiving him. The octopus hissed in response, backing away. Then it twisted around and vanished.

The ghost stared at the spot the creature had occupied for several moments, trying to make sense of what he'd seen. The thing had been glowing and floating ...like him. Had that been...was that a ghost? An actual ghost...octopus? Phantom blinked quickly and furrowed his brow. He knew it was ridiculous to be so shocked (he was a ghost. How could he be shocked that other ghosts existed?) but he was surprised. He'd just seen some kind of ectoplasmic octopus, an ectopus so to speak (yeah that sounded kinda cool, like something his...Danny's dad would come up with). Where had it even come from? ….The portal maybe? That would make sense actually, seeing as Phantom was pretty sure he had come from the portal too (but had he? He didn't remember coming through the portal or why…?). The ghost cut off the thought before doubts could bloom but new questions and worries arose.

If this ghost could come through the portal, would others follow? Phantom felt the illusion of a stomach churning with worry. If more ghosts came, would they hurt Danny and his friends and family? The thought sent another wave of protectiveness through the ghost as he tried to shove down the anxieties. Even if more ghosts came through, it didn't mean Danny or anyone else was in danger, right? The ghost might leave them alone and just go about their business. Plus Danny's ghost hunting parents were around and could protect their son. But the wavering uncertainty remained, pushing Phantom to move from where he was floating in the park. It wouldn't hurt to check on Danny, right? Just to make sure he was safe?

The ghost lingered for several moments, resisting his rising desire; he'd promised he would stay away from Danny. But the pull was too strong. Despite his misgivings and even his fear of being discovered by the Fentons, Phantom flew in the direction of Fentonworks. He really tried to stay away, he did, but somehow he was always drawn back to Danny.

* * *

The next morning, Danny woke up, blinking at the ceiling. He'd had another of those dreams again last night. This time, he was floating in the park, reading a book when a floating octupus things showed up and hissed at him before disappearing. He furrowed his brow. He kept having these dreams about flying above Amity Park and floating through an empty mall or the library. Why? And why did he still, after days, feel like something was missing?

The boy threw the covers off himself, feeling frustrated. He shivered. And why did his parents have the AC so high?! A draft gently brushed him, resulting in Danny furrowing his brow. That was weird...But the thought was cut off by a knocking on his door.

"Danny! Are you awake?" His mom called.

A little spike of anxiety (maybe even fear?) pricked the boy's heart at the sudden voice. But he managed to answer. "Yeah Mom. I'm getting ready."

"All right sweetie. I'll see you downstairs."

The sound of her footsteps quickly quieted as she walked away. Danny finally stood up, trying to shake off his strange reaction. Actually feeling awake for once, he walked to the bathroom and shivered again at a passing draft. The boy glanced up into the mirror and blinked, startled. Was that a flash of neon green in the mirror? Danny whipped around to find...nothing? He shook his head. He was probably just seeing things ...but the slight chill and the feeling of being watched remained. Danny pushed it out of his mind. He needed to get ready.

After using the toilet, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed, Danny headed down the stairs, passively noticing that the feeling of eyes on his back had disappeared.

Once in the kitchen, Dad greeted him from his seat at the table with a grin. "Are you feeling better Danny-boy?"

"Yeah. I actually feel like I got a good night's sleep last night." The boy said, managing half a smile.

His mom smiled from the stove. "That's wonderful honey. Sit down, breakfast is almost done."

With a nod, Danny pulled his chair out and sat. Mom then placed the plate of eggs and cinnamon rolls down and took her seat beside Jazz who had just put down her book. After scoping some eggs onto her plate, the woman continued. "I'm glad the tiredness from the long-term overshadowing is fading like your father and I had hoped."

Danny's nose wrinkled in as he grabbed a cinnamon roll. "I don't get why I was so tired though."

Mom's brow furrowed in concern. "We don't know sweetie. Maybe it's from fighting being overshadowed." Her frown deepened. "Or it was the ghost. I highly doubt it made sure your body was fed and slept so you needed a little time to recover." Her voice then quieted as she glanced down. "We're very lucky it didn't hurt you or use you to do anything horrible."

Patting Danny on the back with surprising gentleness, Dad agreed. "We are really lucky son. And very happy to have you back."

Mom then looked up, studying him with motherly concern and a trace of guilt. "You have not had any other lingering effects from being overshadowed, right Danny?"

"And that ghostly scum hasn't shown its face again either?" Dad also asked, eyes narrowed at the mention of the ghost.

Danny's mind flitted to the other weird things he'd been experiencing since going through the ghost catcher: the mood swings, the strange thoughts, the dreams, the ever present feeling that something was missing. And the very real memory of the ghost floating above him and outside his window also flashed. For a second, Danny debated telling them. But how could he explain what was wrong with him when he couldn't understand it himself? And the thought of telling his parents about the ghost so they could go after it? That sent a wave of guilt, worry, and even some fear through him.

Despite knowing that he was lying, Danny nodded. "Nope. Everything's been normal."

Dad grinned, somewhat wickedly. "That ghost knows better than to mess with the Fentons a second time!"

"But you will tell us if you even suspect something ghostly might be happening." Mom added.

Danny swallowed nervously, turning his attention back to the uneaten food. "Of course Mom."

Mom smiled, patting his free hand. "Go ahead and finish. You need to leave soon." She turned towards Jazz. "How do you like the book you were reading before breakfast, Jazz honey?"

As Jazz happily chatted about her book, Danny tuned her out. His eyes remained fixed on the plate, stomach churning from guilt at lying to Mom and Dad. But fear and questions about what was happening with him kept him silent. Yet for some inexplicable reason, he knew he did not want Mom and Dad to find the ghost that had overshadowed (?) him.

Minutes later, Danny had finished breakfast and started walking towards the school. He shivered as a breeze blew over him. Something rustled behind him and the boy tensed. He stopped and turned around again to find... nothing. Danny groaned. Pulling his bag higher onto his shoulders, he kept walking.

Arriving at school, Danny met his friends at his locker. After opening the door, he started grabbing his books.

"Sam! You can't do this!" Tucker argued loudly.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "What did she do?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "He's upset because I got the school board to finally listen. They are going to be serving a completely vegan meal today to showcase the new menu options."

"But Sam! There's no meat! How am I supposed to live?" The boy complained.

"It's only for one day Tucker! Eating vegetables will not kill you." Sam raised her arms.

Danny half smiled at his friends' antics. "I think I agree with Sam on this one. It won't be that bad."

Tucker pouted. "Traitor."

This elicited a chuckle from Danny who turned his attention back to grabbing his papers. Then he froze as something neon green flashed in his locker mirror.

The boy's eyes widened and he turned towards his friends. "Did you guys see that?"

Sam and Tucker both blinked at him in confusion over the sudden change of tone. Tucker asked. "See what?"

Danny shook his head. "Nothing."Just then the bell rang. "We should probably get to class. I'll see you guys in Math."

"Yeah. See you later." Tucker replied.

For a moment, a look of concern passed over Sam's face. Then her expression softened. "Good luck in English. We'll see you later."

The three parted ways, heading to their respective classes. But Danny's mind remained occupied by what he thought he saw in the mirror- neon green eyes hovering just over his shoulder. He glanced back, eyes falling on ...nothing. He stopped in the middle of the hall. But he felt like something...or someone was there. A so, so familiar, cold but protective presence, the same one that had been following him this morning and even earlier, when he'd meet his friends in the park the morning after going through the ghost catcher. He continued staring into space, mouth opening and closing. He wanted to call out, to ask whoever was following him to show themselves. But...what if he was imagining this? What if he acted and embarrassed himself in front of his classmates? So Danny remained silent as he walked to class, though he could swear he felt cold breath right behind his head.

* * *

That morning had probably been the most interesting that Phantom remember (that wasn't one of Danny's memories, that is). He had watched Danny until he woke up and throughout the morning. Now that he thought about it, it was a little creepy but being close to the boy, just in case something happened, had felt...really nice, right even. Plus he'd given the boy some privacy while he used the toilet and got dressed, though the ghost hadn't strayed far. Phantom also did not stick around for breakfast, though that had more to do with not wanting to be anywhere near the ghost hunting Fenton parents.

Now Phantom was invisibly floating a few feet behind Danny as the boy chatted with his friends at his locker. The ghost smiled sadly at their antics. Part of him missed hanging out with Sam and Tucker. Danny then froze and asked his friends if they had seen something. The ghost's brow furrowed at the weird behavior as the group parted. He followed Danny down the hall until the boy glanced...directly at him! The human stopped in the middle of the hallway, eyes falling exactly where Phantom was floating. Despite not needing to breathe, Phantom's breath hitched in his chest. Could...could Danny actually see him? The ghost glanced at where his hands should be but only the wavering outline that let him know he was invisible was present. There was no way Danny saw him! But the boy's mouth opened and closed as he stared dumbly. Phantom floated closer until he was almost touching Danny, his mind furiously debating what to do. He couldn't just turn visible in the crowded hallway. Maybe he could….

His thoughts were cut off when Danny suddenly turned away and continued towards class. Phantom followed close behind, anxiety lessening somewhat as he listened in on another boring English lesson. The most interesting part was watching Danny doodle a picture of… an octopus? It looked suspiciously like the ghostly one Phantom saw yesterday. Phantom raised an eyebrow. Did that mean that ectopus went after his human? A small amount of panic surged through the ghost, which just increased when he realized he just thought of Danny as his human. Danny definitely did not belong to him; Phantom just wanted to protect him (and how nice it felt being close was just an added bonus).

After that Phantom tried to turn his attention back to the lecture. He didn't notice how Danny kept glancing behind him.

* * *

As the school day passed on, Danny kept glancing behind him, as if trying to catch a glimpse of his ghostly stalker. The constant presence made focusing in class more difficult, though the boy actually felt awake today and not nearly as anxious as normal. One would think that he would be more worried about a ghost following him, especially when he suspected it (he?) was the ghost that had overshadowed him after the accident. But he wasn't really afraid, although he remained very curious about who exactly the ghost was.

This ever present thoughts fled as he greeted his friends at lunch. "Hey guys."

"Hey Danny." Sam grinned as they got in the line for food. "Make sure to try everything and tell me what you like. This is going to be great!"

Tucker crossed his arms. "No it's not. Where's the meat Sam? Where?"

"Will you stop?! It's one meal, you baby!" Sam argued.

Tucker's whining paused as the three reached the front of the line and were served. The friends took a seat at a nearby table. Nose wrinkling in disgust, Tucker poked at a blackish-brown, liquidly paste. "What is this supposed to be?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Those are refried beans."

Beside her, Danny also poked at the food. "Eww, that is so gross."

"Not you too! Vegan food is not disgusting."

"No Sam." Danny motioned to what looked like lettuce on a piece of bread. "I think this lettuce has gone bad."

With an eyebrow raised, Sam grabbed a slimy, wilted, brown piece. Her eyes narrowed. "You're right. I'm going to have words with someone about this. Maybe the beans are good at least."

Just as she said that, Danny took a bite… and immediately had to resist the urge to spit it out. He swallowed forcefully but Sam had already noticed his disgusted look. "That bad?" Before he could answer, Sam also sampled the beans. Her eyes widened. "How the heck did they season this?! It's disgusting!"

Sam stood up suddenly, clearly on her way to give a lunch lady an earful. But at the same time, Dash Baxter marched up to the table. "Fenton! How am I supposed to eat this garbage?"

Danny's jaw dropped. "Why are you yelling at me? I didn't do anything!"

Turning red, Dash grabbed Danny by the front of his shirt. "Well, your little girlfriend did!"

Nonsensically, the boy tried to argue. "She's not…"

But his protest was cut off by the bully. "It's Friday! We're supposed to have meatloaf today! But instead, we've got mud pies and grass. How am I supposed to play without my meatloaf, Fenton?!"

At that, Dash threw Danny down onto the table and proceeded to dump his entire lunch on the smaller boy. At the action, a spark of anger ignited in Danny's gut. With a growl, he fisted some of the beans on his shirt and threw them at Dash whose eyes widened with shock.

Somewhere over Dash's shoulder, someone yelled. "Food fight!"

As food started flying and yells projected, the cafeteria fell into chaos. Still sitting on the table and covered in food, Danny stared at the chaos dumbly. What the heck did he do?!

"Danny!" Below him someone hissed and grabbed his ankle. He almost shreaked but then saw it was Sam. "Get under here!"

The boy scrambled under the table so he laid side by side with Sam and Tucker. Sam elbowed him. "What the heck were you thinking?!"

Danny paled at that. What the heck had gotten into him? He didn't fight back again Dash! He had thought about it before but...he wasn't brave enough for that, not by a long shot.

On his other side, Tucker excitedly proclaimed something. But Danny didn't hear what he said, distracted by a flash of green light in the kitchen. What was that? Was it his ghostly stalker? He started crawling out from under the table, ignoring his friends' calls behind him. He scrambled across the floor until he came to the door to the kitchen. Then the boy slowly stood up, peering through the window. A ghostly glow clearly radiated from the kitchen but Danny couldn't see what (or who) it came from. Biting his lip, the boy debated whether or not he should enter for a split second, just as Sam and Tucker caught up with him.

"What are you doing?" Tucker hissed.

But Danny ignored him. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and entered, his friends following right behind him. All three teenagers' jaws dropped at the sight. A glowing floating old lady in an apron, gloves, and a hairnet searched the kitchen for something.

At the sound of the door closing, she turned around and asked sweetly. "Hello, children. Can you help me? Today's lunch is meatloaf, but I don't see the meatloaf. Did someone change the menu?"

Thoughtlessly, Tucker answered. "Yeah." He pointed at Sam. "She did."

At the statement, the ghost's expression morphed into one of rage. Her eyes flashed red and her hair flickered like flames. "YOU CHANGED THE MENU?!" The teens gasped. "THE MENU HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR FIFTY YEARS!" As she yelled, green flames appeared and circled her head.

Despite his pounding heart, Danny put his arms forward placatingly. "Hey, it's okay. No need to get…"

His pleas cut off as glowing plates flew towards his head. With a yelp, he slammed against the wall. Not a second later, Sam and Tucker also hit the wall, assaulted by plates. Danny shakily tried to stand, the need to protect his friends rising.

He managed to make it to his feet as the Lunch Lady yelled. "I control lunch! Lunch is sacred! Lunch has rules!" Her voice suddenly calmed. "Anybody want cake?"

The teens shook their heads, still dazed from hitting the wall. An instant later, the ovens ignited with green fire. The ghost screamed. "Too bad! Children who change _my_ menu do not get dessert!"

As the ovens started moving towards them, Danny ran towards his friends and hoisted them to their feet. "Run!"

Though dazed, the two obeyed. Behind them, a crash and roar of rage black and white darted at the edge of Danny's vision.

"Why you little!" Growled the Lunch Lady.

Then behind him, an echoing voice yelped in surprise before there was another crash and a groan of pain. Meanwhile, Danny and his friends made it as far as the hallway before the lunch lady ghost appeared in front of them again. Suddenly the lights went out as all the lockers flew open. At the same time, something with an eerie green glow zoomed out of the kitchen. Danny wrinkled his nose. Was that raw meat?

The meat swirled around the ghost, forming a grotesque meatsuit. "Prepare to learn why meat is the most powerful of the five food groups!" Then her face softened as she pulled a cookie out from nowhere. "Cookie?"

Sam shook her head numbly. In response the ghost raised her clawed hands. "Then perish!"

Eyes widening in fear, Danny dashed in front of her. "Don't touch her!"

The ghost roared and grabbed the boy, throwing him right into the lockers and Tucker. Danny groaned as his back throbbed in pain. Across the hall, Sam screamed as the Lunch Lady ghost grabbed her and flew down the hall, leaving a trial of meat.

"Come on Danny! We need to go!" Tucker shook him.

Danny scrambled to his feet and the two raced down the hall. "Sam!"

Where were they?! Where were they? How did a freaking ghost just kidnap his best friend?! Just as Danny and Tucker turned a corner, the pair slammed into Mr. Lancer, sending all three to the floor.

The man glared at them. "Running in the halls?!" He stood up slowly and pointed at Dash who had been standing behind him. "And according to Mr. Baxter here, you two started the food fight in the cafeteria. My office. Now."

"But..but Mr. Lancer!" Danny sputtered though the teacher ignored his widened, distressed eyes. Instead the man grabbed both boys' wrists and practically drug them to his office while Dash followed looking smug.

The teacher opened the door and pushed the two teenagers inside before slamming it. "Mr. Fenton, Mr. Foley. Take a seat." Walking to the file cabinet, he pulled out two files, eyes perusing each while Dash leaned against the wall looking pleased. "Tucker Foley. Chronic tardiness, talking in class, repeated loitering by the girl's locker room." He glanced at Tucker who smiled slyly._ "_Danny Fenton. Thirty-four dropped beakers in the last month, banned for life from handling all fragile school property, but no severe mischief before today. So, gentlemen, tell me…" Mr Lancer then slammed the files on the desk, voice rising in anger."Why did the two of you conspire to destroy the school's cafeteria?"

Danny's eyes widened. "Dash started it!"

Mr. Lancer turned his nose up. "According to witnesses, you started it by throwing food as Mr. Baxter, then you tried to sneak out to avoid punishment."

The boy's jaw dropped as he glared at Dash; these so called witnesses were probably Dash's football buddies. "But Mr. Lancer! That's not…" He tried to argue.

"That's enough, Mr. Fenton." The teacher sharply ended the interrogation. He stood up to leave, stopping in the office doorway. "I'll map out your punishment when I return_._ Mr. Baxter, watch the door."

After Mr. Lancer exited, Dash smirked and slammed the door, leaving Danny and Tucker to freak out about the fate of their friend.


	5. Chapter 5

Phantom gritted his teeth as he followed the trial of meat. Why, why, why did he let himself get distracted?!

He'd hung around lunch, floating just feet away when Dash threw his lunch on Danny. Seeing the quarterback bully the boy pissed off the ghost. He grinned in satisfaction at seeing Danny finally fight back and debated using his own abilities for some payback on Dash too. So focused on potential revenge and the absolutely glorious food fight, he barely registered the strange burst of cold air that leaked from his mouth. He crossed his eyes, trying to peak at the mist. What was that?

Then a crash sounded from the kitchen. Phantom whipped around. In a second, he was invisibly floating through the wall. His eyes widened at the sight; a grandmotherly looking ghost glared at Danny and his friends, green fire blazing around her.

"Run!" Danny yelled, yanking his friends to their feet. Just as the three disappeared into the hallway, Phantom turned visible. For a second, he tried to summon ghostly energy like last night, but no luck. Then the other ghost launched a stack of plates at him. Phantom flickered intangible, allowing the objects to sail right through him. Grinning in satisfaction, the ghost boy acted without thinking; he flew directly at the other ghost, body-slamming her.

"Why you little!" The Lunch Lady shouted.

Phantom smirked for a moment as he punched the other ghost. Then his eyes widened. Oh no. The Lunch lady grabbed his fist, causing the ghost boy to let out a startled yelp. He hit the wall with a crash and groaned. That was going to hurt in the morning.

Unsteadily, Phantom floated to his feet, shaking to clear his head. Wait. He looked side to side. Where was the other ghost?!

"Don't touch her!" Danny's voice rang from the hallway. Then a femine scream resounded. Sam! Phantom raced across the kitchen, not caring that he was visible. He poked his head through the doorway just in time to see the female ghost fly around the corner with Sam clutched in her hands. Danny and Tucker ran after the pair, clearly not seeing him. The ghost boy also followed, maintaining a shaky invisibility.

Then he froze, crouching against the wall to hide. Was that Mr. Lancer?! And Dash?! He suppressed a groan at the football player's smug face. What were they doing?! Didn't they see the trail of meat? Or the freaking ghost that had been kidnapping one of the students? They were wasting time! At hearing Mr. Lancer accuse Danny of starting the food fight, Phantom balled his fists. The nerve! He watched as Mr. Lancer started dragging Danny and Tucker to his office.

Now alone in the hallway, Phantom let out a sigh of relief. His face hardened in determination; he had a kidnapping ghost to find and a teenage girl to save. He half smiled; Sam definitely would hate being made a damsel in distress.

He continued down the hall, following the really obvious trial of meat. Until...it just stopped. Phantom scratched his head. Where did they go? He didn't hear any cries for help or ghostly rambling. Where would a crazy meat obsessed ghost take her vegan prisoner? The ghost boy's eyes widened. Oh, no. There was one place he could think of; he'd ran across it while exploring the school this week and it was a place of horror for veggie lovers and people with just a normal amount of common sense.

With shaky control of his intangibility (which again was weird, shouldn't he have more control of his natural abilities?), he sank through the floor and into... the basement, the creepy abandoned yet freezing cold basement. Phantom shivered, eyeing the huge boxes of non-perishables that looked like they had expired 15 years again. And was that a dead rat?! The shadows moved eerily as the dim fluorescent lights flickered. The ghost boy crept forward. And….he just flew through a cobweb.

As dread continued to build in his guts (did he have those?), Phantom spotted a heavy, metal door with a large latch. The freezer. Taking a deep breath, the ghost pulled the latch and floated through. The door swung closed behind him of its own volition. Panic swelled. Please, please, please don't let him be locked in.

With shaking hands, Phantom flickered on the dim light. A young female voice called. "Who's...who's there?"

"Sam." He breathed.

Facing away from him, Sam struggled, trapped in a pile of raw meat. "Ew, ew, ew, ew." She muttered under her breath, understandably disgusted, and giving no indication that she heard him.

As Phantom's eyes took in her hunched shoulders and disheveled hair, he didn't think about how she would react to him, a ghost. He just knew somewhere deep that he had to help, the drive moving him to act. Phantom might not actually be her friend but he did remember her best friend's life. And though he might just care about her because Danny did, he still did care deeply.

As he floated forward, Phantom felt certainty and a strange peace flow through him. He came to face Sam and his eyes glowed brighter. Sam's eyes widened with fear, though she stopped struggling as her mouth fell open.

Phantom smiled at her sadly, his hand in front of him in a clear demonstration that he was unarmed and meant no harm. His voice rang out, calmly, quietly. "It's okay, Sam. I'm going to get you out of here."

Sam said nothing, just continued gapping at the ghost who gently placed his gloved hands on her arm. With some mental effort, he turned her intangible and lifted her out of the pile.

Violet eyes meet neon green. "Hold on." The ghost instructed.

Without more warning, Phantom passed his weightlessness to her. The two rose through the ceiling, passing through solid matter which earned a gasp from the human girl. They stopped in the hallway above, coincidentally near Mr. Lancer's office Without another word, Phantom left her in the hallway and disappeared before Sam could get a word out.

He wasn't afraid to talk to her. No, nope, not at all. He...uhh...just needed to find the other ghost. And...he'd figure out what to do when he found her.

* * *

Meanwhile in Lancer's office, Danny and Tucker were freaking out.

"We gotta find Sam!" Tucker frowned. "For some reason, I feel like _I_ got her kidnapped."

Danny crossed his arms. "Maybe because you told the ghost she changed the menu? Why would you do that?!"

"I was freaking out!" Tucker sputtered. "An actual ghost showed up and I panicked!"

The other boy sighed. "Whatever. We need to find a way out of here."

"Yeah." Tucker eyed the door. "How are we supposed to get past Dash though?"

At the question, Danny frowned also looking at the door. That was out of the question; there's no way they could sneak past Dash. He surveyed the rest of the room, eyes falling on the window. Maybe that would work? The blue-eyed boy stood up and walked towards the window.

Tucker raised a brow. "What are you doing?"

The other boy pointed to the window. "We're on the first floor. Let's sneak out here."

"Dude! Great idea." Tucker stood up as Danny pulled the window open.

Suddenly, Danny stopped, his eyes flashing neon green. The boy blinked and… he was somewhere else? The image shimmered, distant and distorted, as though viewed through a fishbowl lens.

_In front of him, Sam struggled in a pile of raw meat, her eyes wide with fear. His own glowing gloved hands came into view as he raised them in front of him. _

_Trying to calm the girl, he gave Sam his best friendly smile. His voice echoed slightly. "It's okay, Sam. I'm going to get you out of here."_

Then Danny blinked, the glow fading from his eyes. With a start, the boy found himself back in Mr. Lancer's office with his hands held in front of him- the same as in his...vision? Daydream? Waking dream? A freaked out Tucker waved his hand in front of Danny's face.

"Danny. Earth to Danny! You with me?" Tucker pleaded.

Wordlessly, Danny nodded, mind swimming with confusion as Tucker rambled panickedly.

"What the heck was that?" The barrett-wearing boy waved his arms. "You suddenly stopped and your eyes started glowing. You spaced out man! I tried to get your attention but it was like no one was home. And then you said something about Sam but your voice, it echoed. And you've got to tell me what the heck that was because I'm freaking out dude!"

"I...I don't." Danny stuttered, feeling panic rising. It...it didn't make any sense! What the heck had he just seen? What did he just do? It...it felt like one of the dreams he'd been having this week but he'd been awake! He was standing up in Lancer's office, for crying out loud!

At the same time, Tucker kept bombarding him with questions that he had no idea the answers too. "Seriously Danny! Your eyes were glowing. Was that some weird ghostly thing? But you got rid of your powers!"

At the accusation, Danny felt his heart skip a beat. "I...I wasn't being weird. I don't...don't know what you're talking about."

Just then Lancer opened the door, cutting off Tucker's other questions. The teacher's eyes narrowed at the two students standing in front of the clearly open window but he said nothing. Instead he motioned to the chairs again. Despite Danny's pounding heart, he took a seat.

Seconds later, Mr. Lancer sat behind his desk with the same folders. His eyes narrowed in anger as he lectured at the two students. The words- probably about responsibility and discipline and such- went in one ear and out the other. Instead Danny's mind raced with questions about what just happened to him. Just when he thought things were returning to normal, things got weirder and weirder since going through the ghost catcher. And Sam had been kidnapped! How the heck were they supposed to help her when Mr. Lancer was giving him and Tucker a lecture about something they didn't do?!

Now Mr. Lancer was standing up. "I expect to see both of you on Monday afternoon for detention. Now get to class, both of you."

The two friends followed the teacher out of the room. As Mr. Lancer stomped away, Danny looked down each side of the hallway. He glanced at Tucker with a determined look and the other boy nodded knowingly. As soon as Mr. Lancer was out of sight, the pair took off running in the opposite direction of their class. Despite the earlier freak out about his weird (possibly ghostly?) behavior, only one thought resonated in Danny's mind; they had to find Sam.

Ten seconds later, Danny and Tucker turned a corner and stumbled to a stop. The blue-eyed boy's eyes widened. Standing in the middle of the hall with a puzzled look on her face was Sam. The two boys ran forward.

Danny's eyes lit up as he smiled. "Sam! You're okay!"

"How did you get away from that ghost?" Tucker asked as he sighed in relief.

Sam bite her lip, looking at Danny strangely. Her eyes met his. The image of her fear-filled eyes as she struggled, trapped in the basement, filed his mind. His stomach churned with sudden nervousness; he glanced down, breaking the shared gaze.

Then Sam shook her head, her shoulders falling. She sighed. "Come on. We need to get to class."

The last class of the day passed awkwardly, fluctuating between worrying about the weird vision(?) he'd had in Lancer's office and wondering why Sam kept glancing at him strangely. Blessedly, the bell finally rang. With a wave of laughs and excited chatter, the students poured out of the school for the weekend.

Sam, Tucker, and Danny walked to their lockers together. The boys kept glancing at each other as Sam remained oddly silent, her face neutral. Uncertainty swirled in Danny's gut. What exactly had happened to her after the Lunch Lady kidnapped her, that had her acting so weird? He bit his lip, turning the dial on his locker; whatever happened, he felt like it was connected to him somehow.

"Let's go to the Nasty Burger." Suddenly Sam spoke. Her eyes feel on Danny's again, searching them. He nodded thoughtlessly while Tucker didn't notice the strange exchange.

"Awesome! I saw on TV that they have added a quadruple bacon burger! I need that after the disaster at lunch." Tucker's face fell realizing what he said but for once, Sam made no snarking comment about the boy's meat consumption. Instead she turned and started walking towards the door. She paused, noticing Danny and Tucker were not following.

"Well, are you guys coming?" She raised an eyebrow.

The boys nodded, following as Danny's neutral expression turned into a frown. The uneasy feeling he kept having since the ghost catcher had returned. And the surprisingly comforting presence of his ghostly stalker was absent; actually it had been since that ghost took Sam. He couldn't help but feel those things were connected, though he obviously knew his stalker, the ghost who had been overshadowing him was not the Lunch Lady.

In front of him, Tucker asked. "So are you going to tell us what happened after the lunch lady ghost took you?"

Sam glanced back at Danny strangely. Then she turned her focus to Tucker. "Once we get to the restaurant." She shook her head. "It's….well. I'll tell you guys when we get there."

Not liking how uncertain Sam sounded, Danny walked on, trying and failing to ignore the rising confusion and unease. Soon the boy arrived at the restaurant and joined the line to order with his friends. After getting his food a few minutes later, Danny sat down at a booth in the back corner with Tucker beside and Sam across from him.

As Tucker took a large bite of his burger, Sam picked at her salad. Danny glanced between the two, grabbing a small handful of his fries. After a few minutes, the technogeek wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Sam. You're gonna tell us how you managed to get away, right? The suspense is killing me."

The girl frowned, biting her lip. "Someone saved me."

Tucker raised one eyebrow. "Really? Who was it? How did they manage to take on that ghost?"

The goth shook her head. "The creepy lunch lady disappeared after she locked me in the freezer, in a pile of raw meat." Now Danny wrinkled his brow; that sounded like what he saw in his vision. Sam noticed the expression and quipped, misreading his confused expression as one of disgust.. "Yeah, it was as disgusting as it sounds. But that's not the weirdest thing that happened though." With that, Sam put her fork down. She took a deep breath. "I was rescued... by a ghost. But he looked like Danny."

At that, Danny who had been picking up his burger to take a bite, dropped the sandwich right into his lap in shock. But it barely registered to him as Tucker chuckled humorlessly. "Really Sam? That's funny. But what really happened?" Sam's frown deepened, causing Tucker's expression to fall. "Wait. You're being serious?"

She nodded and continued. "The ghost looked like Danny. Or that weird ghostly form we saw right after the accident. White hair, green eyes, ghost hunting jumpsuit. And...he sounded like Danny too."

The aforementioned boy stared forward dumbly as Tucker sputtered. "But...that…"

"That's not all though. He knew who I was, Tucker. The ghost said my name and promised he would get me out of there. He turned me intangible to pull me out of the pile and then flew me through the ceiling but flew off before I could ask anything."

"But that doesn't make sense." Tucker furrowed his brow. "I mean it wasn't Danny. He was with me in Lancer's office. Although…." Tucker turned to stare at the blue-eyed boy. "You did start acting weird in Lancer's office."

Danny gaped and shook his head, unable to verbalize an explanation. Not that he had one. His mind ran in circles as Sam asked Tucker about what happened in Lancer's office. Only half of their words penetrated his mind. None of it made sense! He'd...he'd seen Sam, in the basement as if he was the one saving her. Meaning…? He couldn't seem to put the pieces together, though the explanation felt close enough to reach.

"May it was the ghost who possessed Danny after the accident?" Sam asked, the discussion continuing despite Danny's lack of input. Though Danny perked up at the mention of the ghost. It all seemed to come back to that. But why? And how?

"You said you thought he hadn't been possessed though." Tucker crossed his arms.

"Well Danny got rid of his powers so what other explanation is there?!"

"But….but why would the ghost still look like Danny? And why help you?"

The two look at Danny questioningly, who continued gapping. His stomach churned with confusion and a little panic as his hands started to shake. The boy opened his mouth to tell them about what he saw in Lancer's office, inevitably adding to the confusion.

But before he could speak, Danny felt his eyes burning- not with tears but...something else. Neon green reflected off the metal table as he glanced down. He briefly registered Sam and Tucker staring at him in shock before something like a flip switched in his mind. His heart started pounding and without thinking, the boy jumped to his feet and sprinted out of the restaurant. He had to get away now! They couldn't find him. No! No! NO!

Sam and Tucker called after him, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Slamming the door to the employee's only exit, he spotted the dumpster in the alley. There! His mind and body screamed at him to hide. The black haired boy dashed behind the dumpster, his friend's worried faces the last thing he saw before he blinked and was somewhere else.

_Danny raced across the empty football field as his head whipped side to side. No! NO! Where was he supposed to hide?! There! He dived for the bleachers just as a shot of neon green energy shot past his head._

"_Take that, ghost scum!." The tall, orange clad man shouted._

_The boy held his hands in front of him. "Please, I don't want to fight you! Just leave me alone!" _

_Below him, a man and women in full body jumpsuits just sneered and took another shot. Danny dodged, flickering intangible as he almost crashed into the bleachers. Instead, he sailed through the seats. He paused for a second, chest heaving with panic. _

_Above him, heavy steps pounded on metal. "We know you're here ghost! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to tear you apart!"_

_His whole body shook with fear at the declaration. Why? Why were they doing this? Danny shook his head, swallowing the emotional pain. He could do this; all he had to do was turn invisible and fly away. So the boy did just that but as he was floating out from under the bleachers, eyes behind red goggles fell on him. Not a second later, the woman cocked her weapon. Her face fierce with anger, she shot. "This is for possessing my son!"_

_Danny had no time to dodge. The ectoenergy slammed into his gut. He crashed into the bleachers, crumpling. His stomach burned, pain radiating from the fresh wound. He tried to curl in on himself, lying on his back. _

_His shooter continued sneering at him from twenty feet away as her husband came running up. "Nice shoot Mads! Now let's take out this monster."_

_The pair rapidly approached, still aiming their weapons, while Danny focused on their faces. The fury clashed painfully with the love he had always expected to see. "Mom, Dad. Please." He whispered but his parents, the ghost hunters, didn't hear._

_With tears leaking from his eyes, Danny turned intangible, the hateful glares on his parent's faces the last thing he saw before the ground swallowed him up._

Danny Fenton came back to awareness with Sam shaking him.

"Danny! Snap out of it!" She pleaded as Tucker looked on with wide eyes.

As the green light in the boy's eyes faded, his gaze focused on the confused and distressed look on Sam's face. His brow furrowed; what just happened? And why was he on the ground behind a dumpster? Shakily, Danny tried to stand up but hissed as pain blossomed in his abdomen. He bit back a cry, eyes squinted in pain. Why did it hurt?! With a confused and distressed look, the boy lifted his shirt to find a fresh burn. With a weak hand, he reached to touch it, to confirm what his eyes were seeing. He hissed in pain at the contact.

"What the hell is happening?!" Sam demanded, with panicked anger.

"I...I don't…." Danny stuttered, confusion and panic silencing him.

Over Sam's shoulder, Tucker paced. With a shaking hand, he pointed at Danny's burn. "That...that just showed up, out of nowhere! You just got that burn out of the blue !" He yanked the barret off his head, gripping it with tight fists. "You spaced out again! And started talking to yourself! Something...something invisible threw you into the dumpster!"

Danny groaned trying to sit up more. He shook his head. "I..I don't know. I don't don't understand."

Grabbing his shoulders, Sam forced him to look at her. "Danny. Tell us what's going on."

The boy stared down at the dirty ground. "It's...I don't." A tear leaked from his eye.

Sam tightened her grip on his shoulders. "Damnit Danny! You've been acting weird since you got your parents to cure you! We know something weird is happening! Tell us what you know!"

More tears leaked. Before he could register what he was saying, the truth about all the weird things he'd been experiencing since the ghost catcher poured out. "I...I keep having these random emotions and thoughts that don't make any sense. And I'm tired all the time no matter how much I sleep. When I do I get these weird dreams about flying. And I can't focus. Half the time, I feel like I'm not here. Like I'm dreaming." He bit his lip, actually looking at Sam. "Earlier today I saw the ghost saving you. But like it was me, I was the one saving you. And just now I saw Mom and Dad chasing me. They were calling me ghost scum, saying I possessed their son. Then they shot me and now I have a burn exactly where they hit me." Danny sniffed and whipped his face, his heart clenching at the thought of his parents looking at him with such hatred. "But ...you guys… they weren't actually here. I wasn't over the football field...but I was. I felt like I was."

With that, Danny paused as Sam and Tucker looked at each other and then him. Confusion and distress marred their faces but they said nothing, clearly processing. The blue-eyed boy who was still on the ground, moved the stand up, though he winced from the quickly lessening pain on his abdomen. With wobbly legs, he made his way to his feet. Sam and Tucker studied him worriedly. Then Danny took a deep breath, finally gathering his courage to voice a final, potentially damning thought. "I think I'm...linked to the ghost who was overshadowing me, somehow. That's why all this weird stuff has been happening to me. We're connected."

His two friends gapped but after a moment, Sam's face softened in fearful concern, though there was a hint of curiosity. "But how? And why?"

Danny stood up straighter, a measure of determination entering his gaze. "I don't know. But there may be someone who does, if we can find them."

Tucker's eyebrows raised questioningly. "Who? Your parents?"

Danny shook his head. "No. We have a ghost to find."


	6. Chapter 6

Phantom was having the worst afternoon of his afterlife. After saving Sam (which had felt so good and right), he flew off in search of the other ghost. Maybe he could talk to her and convince her to leave. At the very least, he could get some more information. He spent the last hour of the school day looking with no luck until about ten minutes after the students left for the weekend.

In what Phantom had dubbed his ghost sense, his breath misted in front of him. There! He flew in the direction of the other ghost.

An angry yell rang out. "Eat your doom!"

Phantom paled. The Lunch Lady was after someone again! Then her voice cut off.

"Mads! We caught a ghost!" It was...was Danny's dad.

Phantom peered around the corner to find Maddie Fenton capping something that looked like a thermos. She frowned and shook her head. "But not the ghost we were looking for. I was hoping that monster had finally popped up again after that spike in ectoplasmic energy appeared on our sensor."

Jack also frowned. Then a device in the orange clad man's hand beeped. "The Finder says there's another ghost nearby!"

Maddie stepped towards her husband. With wide eyes, she focused on the Finder. "And according to this." She looked up. "It's right around that corner."

Right around the corner…. The ghost tensed, breath hitching. They...they were…

Before he could finish the thought, the sound of feet pounding echoed across the hall. "Come on Jack!"

Phantom fled, disappearing just as Maddie rounded the corner. He dodged and weaved, flying around corners and through walls. But ominous beeping of the Fenton Finder and the pounding of running feet seemed to follow just behind him. The ghost phased through a wall, finding himself in the bright sunlight. To his left a door slammed open.

"Maddie! It's the scum that overshadowed Danny!" Jack yelled, eyes narrowing in anger.

Right behind the male ghost hunter, his wife pulled her goggles over her eyes. Phantom panicked, taking off towards the football field.

"Come back here, you abomination!" Maddie hefted her ectogun and took a shot, barely missing Phantom.

With only the thought of escaping, Phantom gave cursory glances back. The ghost hunters chased him furiously, calling him a monster and threatening him for getting near their son.

"This is for possessing my son!" Maddie shouted, managing to land a shot on the stomach.

He curled up, wanting to crawl away but unable to move. The angry ghost hunters ran towards him, their bug-like goggles covering their eyes. It made the adults look more like the hateful ghost hunters they were, than the loving parents that Phantom remembered so strongly and wished he was facing.

His face wetting with tears, the ghost whispered. "Mom, Dad. Please."

Just as the two hunters went in for the 'kill,' Phantom sunk through the ground to slip away. Intangible, he flew through the soil in a random direction. He came up several minutes later, hoping he was far away from his pursuers. Phantom looked around, seeing the Fentons were nowhere in sight but he felt no relief.

Having fled to a now familiar place, the woods in the park, the same ones Danny played in as a child, Phantom perched in a tree. One that Danny Fenton had loved to climb as a kid, he noted. The ghost curled in on himself, trying and failing not to cry again. His wound burned but that pain paled in comparison to the emotional pain. The harsh, furious faces of Jack and Maddie Fenton contrasted painfully with the soft, loving smiles of his Mom and Dad that also burned in his mind. Memories assaulted him: Mom kissing his scraped knees, Dad holding him during a terrifying thunderstorm, Both parents crying over him when he woke up in the hospital after the accident. Part of his mind screamed- No, those weren't real, those weren't his memories but the real Danny's. But every recollection felt so real, so crisp right now. And they always had really; since going through the ghost catcher, Phantom had not specifically tried to recall Danny's past but all the knowledge, thoughts, and emotions had always been there in the back of his mind just waiting to be remembered. And now he did, he remembered everything. And it hurt so badly.

Because though Phantom remembered Jack and Maddie Fenton being his parents, he knew they never had and never could love a ghost like him. Instead, like the ghost hunters they were, they yelled and shot him. The ghost's core trembled with sorrow. What did he ever do to deserve this?! He had been good! He had tried to stay away from the Fentons, Danny's friends, and the boy himself as much as it hurt, as much as he wanted to be near them. Yes, he had followed Danny but that was to protect him from any ghost that might come through the portal. And that had turned out to be a good thing to do; he'd saved Sam! But what did he get? Chased and attacked by Danny's parents? But…Jack and Maddie Fenton's words (scum, monster, abomination ) rang through his head. Maybe they were right about him. Maybe he did deserve this, for possessing Danny and stealing his memories and appearance. Maybe he deserved it because he was a monster. Maybe he just needed to leave. He didn't, couldn't belong here.

Then he heard rustling below him. A voice rang out. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

It was his own voice…no Danny Fenton's voice. Flickering invisible, Phantom looked down to find the black haired boy below him.

Danny called again. "Ummm I just want to talk. I'm not going to call Mom and Dad or anything. I just want to know what's going on. And thought maybe you might too?"

The ghost glanced down, staying silent. He did want to know what was going on, why he remembered being Danny and why he looked like the human boy. But he should stay away. He didn't want to hurt Danny anymore than he already had. He was a ghost and everyone knew ghosts are evil and always end up destroying the object of their obsession.

Then there was a sigh below him. "Look, I know you're here. I can…sense you. I just want to talk. Please." The boy below Phantom sounded so sad and lost. Maybe it won't hurt to respond just this once?

He turned visible, glancing down at the human trying to remain casual. "Why are you here?"

The other boy looked up, slightly startled. "I wanted to talk like I said."

"There's nothing to talk about." Phantom scoffed, crossing his arms.

Danny huffed. "Nothing to talk about! Weird stuff has been happening to me all week!"

Phantom paled at that, though he tried to stay casual, closed off even. It didn't make any sense to him but the statement felt like a punch in the gut to the ghost. Danny Fenton was supposed to be a normal human boy, not contaminated by…whatever Phantom was doing to him. Without a thought, the ghost flew in front of the boy in the blink of an eye. "You need to forget about me."

Danny's eyes widened, though Phantom wasn't sure if it was because of the statement or the ghost's sudden appearance before him. "You..you…ummm…What?" He stuttered.

Bypassing the boy's confusion, the ghost pressed on. "You need to forget about me."

The human's eyes traveled up and down the ghost's body, finally focusing on his face. "Who are you?" he whispered.

Phantom frowned. "I'm just a ghost, nobody important. But you need to leave."

"B..But…"Danny stuttered.

Phantom's facial expression softened somewhat, though his tone stayed steady. "Forget about me Danny. Go. Live your normal, human life, like you've always wanted." Then the ghost turned invisible before the human could respond. He flew away but inevitably remained haunted by the hurt and confused look on the human's face.

* * *

Danny stayed, staring at the space where the ghost had disappeared from for several minutes, his mind spinning. Sam had said the ghost had looked like him but he hadn't been expecting…that. The resemblance had been shocking, like looking in a funhouse mirror- almost identical but not quite. Expect it, no he, the ghost had been much more real and close enough Danny could have reached out and touched him. And then Danny realized with a start, that he remembered looking like that, like a ghost. He remembered after the accident seeing his own face in the mirror with green eyes and white hair. And he had been terrified then but now...he wasn't, not at all. The ghost had looked…sad, lost, and so hurt like Danny himself did.

With a sigh, Danny turned away, going back to his friends who were waiting. Rustling the branches, he walked through the trees and into the grassy field leading to the playground.

Sam and Tucker, who'd been quietly chatting with each other, perked up at hearing him approach. "Did you find him?" Sam asked.

Danny frowned but slowly nodded. "Yeah. But I didn't find out anything."

"What? Why?" Tucker gapped.

"He…. didn't want to talk." The other boy looked down, wringing his hands.

Sam's eyes narrowed in anger. "What?! He can't just not tell you what's happening! We...You need to know!"

Pinching his mouth, Danny just shook his head. Mind still swirling with confusion from the strange interaction, he had no idea how to respond.

At his silence, Sam studied his troubled face. "He said something else too, didn't he?" Danny's eyes widened slightly but he said nothing. Sam pressed on. "What did he say? Come on Danny, he said something. Or you noticed something." Biting his lip, Danny shook his head again as the girl demanded. "Come on tell us!"

"Sam, stop." Noticing the other boy's discomfort, Tucker nudged his other friend. "I don't think he wants to talk about it." Danny gave him a grateful look as he continued. "Do you wanna hang out tonight? We could even watch one of those space documentaries you like." Despite the sincerity of the offer, Danny shook his head. "Not tonight. I...want to be alone. I need some time to think."

With sad but understanding looks, Sam and Tucker accepted. Silently the three left the park. Then they came to the street where they would part ways. With a concerned look, Sam said. "See you later then. Text us if you want to hang out okay."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, I will. Bye guys." Expression carefully neutral, he turned away and returned home, his troubled thoughts following all the way.

* * *

Dinner that night was awkward. Mom and Dad spent the whole night ranting about almost capturing the ghost who had been overshadowing him. While Mom boasted about having landed a shot, Dad loudly complained that 'the vermin' got away. Danny's stomach churned with anxiety at the words, his hand moving unconsciously to cover his stomach, where he had a similar burn. He glanced down, not liking the implications. Not two minutes later, he asked to be excused, unable to handle his parents' hateful rant.

Mom gave him a concerned look. "But you haven't finished your dinner sweetie."

"I'm not hungry." He lied. "My friends and I went to the Nasty Burger after school."

Mom frowned but nodded. "Put up your leftovers then, in case you want them later."

Quickly Danny did as he was told before silently heading up stairs. He spent the rest of the night thoughtlessly surfing the internet and trying to ignore the occasional sounds of his parents work in the basement. But his mind kept drifting to those familiar troubled thoughts. After midnight, the boy found himself laying in bed staring at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. He couldn't sleep, not after the confusing day and confusing conversation with the ghost sharing his face. He wished the ghost would come back so they could talk properly. Danny just desperately wanted to know what the heck was going on and why he was connected to this ghost.

Just as he was starting to drift off, Danny noticed a glow out the corner of his eye. He sat up startled and his eyes widened. The ghost floated nervously outside his window, rubbing the back of his neck.

Danny stumbled up and opened the window. Eyes wide and voice filled with awe, he whispered. "You're here."

The ghost looked at him warily but responded. "Yeah, you said you wanted to talk and figure out what was happening so here I am."

Danny nodded, stepping back. "I did…. I do."

As the ghost flew through the window, the human rambled about all of the weird things that happened to him that week, ending with the weird burn that appeared on his stomach. The ghost's eyes widened as his own hands rested on his abdomen. "That…that's where Mom and Dad" he quickly backtracked. "your mom and dad, I mean, shot me." Danny nodded; he had already thought that was the case. He moved forward, hands reaching towards the ghost but the ghost backed up, his eyes wide with a mix of emotions. "You weren't supposed to get hurt because of me."

Danny shook his head, reaching forward again though the ghost backed away. "I'm fine. This isn't your fault." The ghost just looked down. The human didn't know what to say but he should really stop calling the other boy just the ghost. He asked. "What's your name?"

The ghost looked up, neon green eyes startled. Then he bit his lip, nervously. "It's uhhh Phantom."

"Phantom?" Danny tilted his head. "But, that's just another word for ghost?"

The ghost, Phantom, fidgeted. "Ummm, yeah it is. But that's what I'm called."

Danny looked at him, questioningly but said nothing on that subject. "So… has weird stuff been happening to you too since….." He trailed off.

"Since I stopped overshadowing you?" Phantom asked quietly, eyes downcast again.

Danny bit his own lip. "Yeah but….I'm not sure that's what it was." Phantom looked up, startled and the human continued. "I mean when we were….together…..I didn't feel possessed. The powers were weird, but I felt like me, not like someone was trying to control me." His voice then quieted farther. "I…I even remember looking like you, like a ghost. I remember everything really, which Mom and Dad said wasn't possible. Do….uhhh…you remember everything?"

The ghost nodded. He paused, studying Danny's eager face for what felt like an eternity. Finally he sighed unnecessarily. "Yeah, I remember being you."

Danny also nodded "So you remember looking like me, like a human, after the accident."

Phantom shook his head furiously and when he spoke, his quiet voice was pained. "No, I remember being you. I remember my name being Danny Fenton, I remember living in this house, in the town. Mom and Dad reading me bedtime stories and playing with Jazz as a little kid, and going to school. I remember meeting Sam and Tucker. And Dash bullying me. And going to Lake Eerie with Dad this summer." He swallowed. "And going into that portal to impress Sam and thinking I was going to die in there." Danny just gaped at him, mind frozen at the speech, unable to process. A tear fell down Phantom's face as he continued. "And…and I don't know why or how. But I don't remember the ghost zone or much about being a ghost. I…I don't know who I am or where I came from. But….I feel so empty, like there's a gaping hole in my chest. And I wanted to stay away, to not hurt you but I can't. I can't stay away. And I don't know what's happening or why. And Mom and Dad freaking shot me today and think I'm a monster. And maybe I am. I'm a ghost and ghosts can't be good."

Tears full on streamed down the ghost's face while Danny Fenton continued to gap. He had no idea what any of that meant for him, for them but… he knew, he just knew the ghost, no, the boy in front of him was not evil. He was hurt and scared like Danny himself was. And Danny felt the emptiness, the ache too. Without thinking, Danny acted on the instinct to comfort Phantom, his arms wrapping around the ghost.

And both boys gasped. Instantly, tears also started streaming down Danny's face, mirroring Phantom's emotional state . The human could feel the ghost's entire soul, his whole being. All of his thoughts, feelings, and memories. Somehow, impossibly, their souls fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle, the empty places in Danny's being met with matching places in Phantom's. And the reverse was true. Danny sensed Phantom seeing his own soul, how the two of them match, fitting together perfectly. The human leaned in closer, his thoughts and emotions coming into sync with the ghost's, running together, in unison.

_I know who you are. _Came the echoed thoughts. Or was it only one thought?

Suddenly, Danny felt a spike of fear as Phantom pulled away. The human's eyes remained wide as he whispered. "You're me."

And he knew without a doubt that it was true, somehow. Somehow Phantom was him and he was Phantom. The other boy's soul was his, and his soul was the other boy's. No, no, there was only one soul, split into two pieces. Danny smiled widely feeling euphoria at the revelation, at the completeness he hadn't felt since going through that stupid ghost catcher.

But then, it crashed.

"No." Phantom's eyes remained full of fear, dread in his voice.

"No?" Danny whispered, mind unable to grasp.

"No. I'm not…I can't be. I'm not you." The ghost stuttered.

The human's mouth dropped open. "What? I felt it! I know you did too!"

"NO!" The ghost yelled, shaking his head. "I'm not…I can't be you. I'm a ghost. Danny Fenton is a normal, human boy."

Phantom tried to flee but Danny grabbed his hand. "NO!" The deep fear the human felt at the contact made him recoil but he pushed it away, grasping the joy he felt earlier. "Please. I don't understand how…but we're the same."

The ghost's eyes softened but he pulled away, disappearing. Danny collapsed onto the floor of his room and cried, though he couldn't tell if the sorrow was his or his ghost's.


	7. Chapter 7

After seeing Danny in the park, the lost expression of the boy's face continued to haunt Phantom. He returned to Fentonwork. Invisibly, he floated outside Danny's window, debating whether or not he should make himself known. But he really wanted to figure out what kind of connection existed between him and Danny and to sever that link if it was possible. He'd just hear Danny out and try to convince the boy to stop pursuing him. With a sigh, he turned visible. With wide eyes, the human opened the window and let him inside.

As Danny explained the strange things that had been happening to him, the ghost's expression fell. What had he been doing to Danny without even noticing? The human must hate him for that. But Danny's expression morphed into an eager and hopeful one as the two talked. With a start, Phantom realized that Danny was not afraid of him. What's more, he treated Phantom like a person, not some monster that had violated him. Finally with someone in front of him who would listen, all of the pain and confusion he'd felt since the ghost catcher poured out. As the tears trickled, he glanced at Danny's dumb struck face. The other boy's expression betrayed no emotion but the ghost mentally braced himself anyway; it would come any second- the anger, the disgust, the hatred. There was no way Danny would still be so nice once he knew the truth.

Instead….the human embraced him. The ghost stiffened in shock for a second, before he felt….something. A connection so large, breath-taking, and important. And as much as it captivated, it also terrified him. So he fled.

* * *

As Danny collapsed on the floor, Phantom phased through the window. Tears falling, he glanced back, heart (or whatever he had in place of one) clinching at the sight of the crying human. The ghost then furiously shook his head. His lip trembled as he turned away. He..he'd couldn't do this, couldn't be here.

With that thought, Phantom started to fly away but stopped not even twenty feet away. He practically crashed on the roof of Fentonworks and crawled behind the sign. Now hidden, the ghost sat with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs. The ache in his chest burned, feeling like it would consume him.

Tears streaming, the ghost started rocking back and forth. "No. NO. NO" He muttered.

It...it didn't make sense. It wasn't possible. Everyone knew someone could not be a ghost and a human at the same time! There was no way, none! He was not, could not, never was, never would be Danny Fenton. He couldn't be.

Except….Phantom's hand gripped his hair… Except...it made sense in a strange, twisted sort of way. It would explain the memories and his appearance. And the...connection he'd felt, linking his soul to Danny's.

But...but that wasn't….No. Phantom pushed the thought out of his head, hating the uncomfortable truth. NO, not truth, not truth. It wasn't true. The ghost was not even supposed to be connected to Danny. That thought that the boy might be shackled to him pierced like a knife. The human would be so much better off without his ghostly stalker.

But...but the two were bound, connected at the deepest levels. And it was because of the portal accident. That stupid portal did...something, something monumental that Phantom couldn't or didn't want to understand. And then the ghost catcher, Mom and Dad's stupid invention, it was supposed to fix everything but it just messed up everything!

As the ghost continued rocking, his thought swam together, swirling and running into each other as his chest started heaving. The sorrow, the pain was too much, so heavy. It was unutterable, nigh unfathomable, so much more than just the stress and guilt from the past few days. The ghost gasped, feeling the shadow of a pounding heart beat. He blinked, the fleeting image of Danny' starry ceiling passing through his blurry vision. A sob escaped the ghost's throat at the sight… and the realization. He was seeing through Danny's eyes, like the boy had seen through his earlier. And right now, the human was weeping in his bedroom downstairs.

Phantom's body shook as he wept. Because he knew, he knew they were feeling the exact same sorrow, Because….because….because. Phantom's mind stuttered. _We're the same._

The ghost closed his eyes and curled up into a fetal position. It was true, wasn't it? But he didn't want it to be. Because, he...he was a...a…..

The cursed words floated through his mind. Contamination, sickness, disease. He remembered after the accident, seeing himself in the mirror like he was now, as a ghost. And being paralyzed with fear and disgust, because his ghostliness was at worst a monstrous curse and at best a horrifying disease.

And that was why he could not be Danny. If he was just a ghost who had been overshadowing the boy, he could make right by leaving Danny alone and letting the boy go back to his normal life. But if he was Danny (or a part of Danny, a version of Danny, a half of Danny) then….then, their infection could never be cured.

Phantom wept until he couldn't anymore, his vision periodically flashing with images of Danny Fenton's bedroom. The ghost sighed, completely spent. With shaking arms, he sat up. His mind and core still swirled with pain but it was...not less, but dimmed, numbed. He'd felt so much , so strong, for so long he couldn't anymore. He bit his lip, debating. Maybe he should go through the portal, leave and never come back. Except….the heartbroken look on Danny's face held him hostage. He couldn't leave without a word...and he didn't want to. He wanted to stay and needed to fix things...not that he had any idea in what way things needed to be fixed.

Phantom still wasn't convinced he and Danny were the same person (liar, a quiet voice in the back of his head whispered) but he needed to be sure of whatever the truth was. And Danny needed to see too. But what or who could convince him? Maybe they needed a second opinion. With hardly any other thought, he phased down through the ceiling of Danny's bedroom.

* * *

After Phantom disappeared, the human Danny cried on his bed, mind muddled with confusion. What...what just happened? What did he do? He'd… just meet a ghostly version of himself? Had...had the ghost catcher done that? But his ghost, who apparently wanted to be called Phantom, decided they weren't that same person? It...it didn't make any sense! But then why did it hurt so much?!

Danny's thoughts became increasingly muddled and hopeless as he tried to muffle his sobs with his pillow. He couldn't have Mom and Dad or Jazz hear and come to investigate what was wrong. How the heck would he explain what was happening? It's not like he really understood anyway. He just knew that it hurt, the emptiness in his chest gapping more than ever.

Just as he started drifting off, a soft white glow appeared, radiating through his closed eyelids. Half-lidded eyes blinked open and Danny found himself staring at a familiar ghost.

"You...you came back." He whispered awestruck, eyes lighting up with hope. Phantom floated back but said nothing as the human slowly sat up. Then Danny gave him a half smile, wiping his face. "I'm starting to think you have a problem with running off. Or maybe WE do?" His brow furrowed, still mystified and confused by the 'we're the same person' concept. How exactly was he supposed to verbalize any of that?

Phantom bit his lip, ignoring the human's strange expression. "Maybe I do have a problem with that."

"So." Danny also bit his lip, studying the ghost….that was him (wow, that was absolutely insane). He gave a wry smile and half chuckled. "You knew, I don't think this is what people normally mean when they say someone talks to themselves." Phantom frowned at that and crossed his arms causing Danny's expression to fall. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess that wasn't funny. So...do you want to figure out how to….?" He trailed off, smashing his palms together in an attempt to mimic…whatever they needed to do undo what the ghost catcher did.

The ghost raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't suggestive looking at all." He quipped, flatly.

Danny blushed and then shook his head. "We still need to figure out how to...refuse?...get back in one body? Become one?"

"And...you're just making it much worse."

The human frowned, spreading his arms. "You know what I mean! We're literally the same person!"

At that Phantom also frowned, his expression looking increasingly troubled. He held up one finger. "I...don't think we are though."

Danny's jaw fell. "But...but we both felt it. And you said you remembered everything!"

The ghost shook his head. "That...that doesn't mean anything."

The words were a punch to the gut. Danny's lip trembled. "But...that's not…" His voice fell into a whisper. "Then you don't want to…."

At the sad expression, Phantom's shoulders also feel. He ran his hands through his hair. "I want a...second opinion before we do anything."

Danny's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

The ghost glanced down. "I want to see what Sam and Tucker think. They should be able to help us figure this out."

Danny nodded. He still did not understand Phantom's reluctance but he wasn't fleeing or outright denying the truth; it was better than nothing. He gave a hopeful smile."So you want to hang out with Sam and Tucker tomorrow?"

Phantom also nodded. "Yeah. They should be able to tell if…" He bit his lip, warily glancing at the human's face. " I am who you think I am."

In response, the human's nose wrinkled, his voice ringing with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "That's not even a question. We both know who you are."

The ghost seemed to sag in the air as he wrung his hands. "You...you don't understand."

Danny gaped at the nonsensicalness of the statement. He...didn't understand? How could he possibly not understand? His wide eyes stared up, begging for an explanation. But Phantom carefully avoided his glaze. Floating farther back, he straightened minusculy. "You should go to sleep. You look awful."

The ghost started to turn away as Danny leaned forward, moving to stand up. "But...but."

Phantom sighed, glancing at the human. He frowned, addressing Danny like he was an unruly child. "Go to bed, Danny." His expression then softened. "I'll be back in the morning, I promise."

Without another word, he floated through the window, leaving the boy gaping.

Huffing, Danny flopped down on the bed. One hand went to his forehead, wiping his bangs out of his face. His mind still churned with confusion from the multiple baffling conversations tonight. But….he felt better. The fear that Phantom had run off and he would never see him again no longer loomed over his head; though he did not understand, he knew that the ghost had been sincere. He would come back and they would figure things out in the morning. With that thought, Danny drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Morning found Phantom invisibly floating in Danny's desk chair, waiting for the boy to wake up. He'd spend several hours star gazing, desperately wishing he could sleep and put his troubled thoughts to rest for at least a few hours. But just like every night since going through the ghost catcher, sleep would not come. So around sunrise, he returned to Danny's room. He felt like a creep, watching the boy sleep but wanted to be nearby and find something to do. The ghost picked up one of Danny's space magazines and flipped through it. This was one he remembered reading before but there was something comforting in the familiarity.

Around 9:30, Phantom looked up from the magazine to a rustling sound in the room. On the bed, the sleeping boy hummed sleepily. Opening half-lidded eyes, he turned over so he was coincidentally facing the invisible ghost. He nuzzled into his pillow, giving another sleepy sigh as his eyes closed.

Across the room, Phantom put down the magazine. He bit his lip, debating if he should try and wake up the human. With a sigh, he floated up slowly turning visible as he moved to beside the bed. Cautiously, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder which was covered by his blanket. Instead of flinching like the ghost expected, Danny somehow relaxed farther under the touch. Phantom gently shook him and whispered. "Hey, wake up Danny."

The human's eyes blinked open, squinting. Smiling contently, he muttered. "Good morning, Danny."

Phantom frowned. "That's not my name."

The boy slowly sat up though his covers remained wrapped around him. "Okay, Daniel." He playfully emphasized the last word, rubbing his eyes. "Man. Am I really this stubborn?"

Phantom ignored the question. "Go ahead and get dressed. I'll...go hide in the closet."

With a raised eyebrow, the human swung his legs over the side of the bed. "We're the same person." He muttered, exacerbated while the ghost turned around and phased into the closet.

The door to the bedroom opened and closed a few seconds later as Danny left, presumably to go to the bathroom. Phantom was left in silence; he tentatively poked a shoe on the floor of the closet with his boot. He whispered. "What am I even doing?"

A few moments later, the door opened and closed again with a creak. Drawers slid open and closed as Danny grabbed clothes. Phantom waited a few moments. "Are you decent?"

"Yeah." The human called nonchalantly.

Phantom phased through the door to find Danny still buttoning his pants and without a shirt on. The ghost rolled his eyes; at least he was half dressed. His eyes then fell on a spot about an inch above the waist of the boy's pants. In an area about the size of his hand, the skin appeared rough and raised with pinkish-red patches.

Phantom frowned, pointing at the area. "Your burn, does it feel okay?"

Danny glanced down, his eyes widening slightly as if he just remembered the injury. "Yeah. It stopped hurting really soon after it showed up…..and it's healed a lot more than a burn this size should heal overnight. Maybe because it was from a ghost weapon or…." He looked up at Phantom, brow furrowed in concern. "It was copied from you to me. You're the one who actually got shot." Danny reached towards the ghost. "Is your burn okay?"

Phantom looked down at his own abdomen, which remained covered by his jumpsuit as it had since the shot. "I don't know. I've not even looked since it happened."

Danny's frown deepened. "So Mom and Dad's gun didn't even tear the suit?" He walked forward, hands reaching for where the zip should be on the suit but froze inches from the fabric. "This does come off, right?"

"I think so?" Phantom backed away from the hands, reaching towards the zipper himself.

Though the seam and metal head of the zipper appeared almost nonexistent, the material parted. He unzipped the suit to right below the burn. Then the ghost shook the suit off his shoulder and pulled his gloves off. The outfit pooled around his waist.

Swallowing, Phantom looked down at his wound, his bare fingers gently prodding it. His eyes widened though he didn't know why he was surprised. The burn was the exact same size and shape and in the same position as the one on Danny's abdomen. Though there was one significant difference.

Phantom's nose wrinkled. "Why does the scabbing look green?"

"Ectoplasm?" Danny shrugged. "Yeah. Ghosts are literally made of the stuff. So I guess your blood is green?"

Phantom poked the burn a little more surely. "Yeah, I guess. It doesn't hurt at least."

"That's good." Danny nodded. "We should still bandage it though."

"Why?" The ghost's forehead wrinkled in slightly exacerbated confusion.

"It could get infected!" The human waved his arms while Phantom raised an eyebrow.

"Uhhh… I don't think…."

"A ghost could get sick from real world germs." Phantom's eyes widened as Danny seamlessly continued his thought but the human failed to notice the reaction. "But what if there's like ghost bacteria or something?! You never know. It'd be better to treat it, just in case."

Getting over the shook, Phantom crossed his arms. "Fine. But-" He pointed. "That has to be bandaged too."

The human shrugged. "I was going to anyway. I'll go get the bandages and neosporin." He patted the bed. "You can sit down, you know. It's your bedroom too."

Without another word, Danny left again. Cautiously, Phantom floated to the bed. With some mental effort, he reengaged gravity and flopped down on the bed. Sitting there was somehow both comfortable and familiar, and foreign and awkward. Like it was in fact his bed and his room, yet he didn't belong here anymore. Maybe he didn't; the dead didn't belong in the land of the living after all.

His troubled thoughts were cut off by the door opening again. Startled, he flickered invisible but reappeared a moment later once he realized it was just Danny. With the medical supplies in his hand, the human sat down beside Phantom- not close enough to be touching but still near enough to suggest he was comfortable with the ghost.

Danny leaned forward, posed to start treating the ghost's wound but Phantom batted the hands away, grabbing the banadages. "I can do it myself." A brief flash of disappointment sprang from the contact but the ghost frowned, ignoring it. Silently, he applied the antibiotic cream to his burn while Danny did the same to his. Both finished, Danny put on his shirt while Phantom re-zipped his suit.

After a moment, Danny spoke. "So what's the plan with Sam and Tucker?"

Phantom glanced up. "I was thinking you text them and ask about hanging out at Sam's house. We're less likely to run into her parents than Tuckers'... And it's not exactly safe for me to hang around here."

Danny frowned, Phantom guessed at the thought of his parents hurting the ghost. "Yeah. That sounds good." He gave a half smile. "I guess we hang out with Sam and Tucker like normal….except there's two of me."

The ghost looked down. Why couldn't Danny just see how serious this was? How if the two really were the same person, it wasn't a good thing? Gritting his teeth, he muttered something.

"What's that?" Danny asked with raised eyebrow.

Phantom took a breath, still not meeting the human's eyes. "You need to stop thinking like that. You're going to be disappointed."

The human crossed his arms. "Dude, can you stop with that? Don't you think I know myself well enough to know the truth?"

In a heartbeat, neon green eyes stared into icy blue. "No. You don't. Or you're willingly choosing not to see."

Just as Danny's jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed in anger, a knock sounded from the door. With a gasp, Phantom turned invisible. The door swung open as Mom barraged in, her eyes wide with concern. "Is everything okay? We got a spike on our scanner….and I thought I heard voices."

"Nah, everything's fine." Danny answered casually. His eyes turned very deliberately on the invisible Phantom. "I was just talking to...uh….myself."

"Okay?" Seemingly satisfied, Mom relaxed, changing the subject. "What are you up to today Danny?"

He looked up at his Mom. "I'm going to hang out with Sam and Tucker. I think it'll help me feel more like myself after….everything."

Mom frowned. "Are you still not feeling well?"

The human quirked his lip. "A little. But…." His eyes feel perfectly on Phantom who has slowly floated off the bed and as far away from the ghost hunting adult as he could. "I think things are starting to get better."

"That's wonderful, sweetie." Mom ruffled his hair. "Call or text me with when I can expect you home, okay?"

Phantom looked on the motherly display of affection with something that could be jealousy. With another smile at Danny, his mom left. With a sigh, Phantom turned visible and then cringed at the angry look the human was giving him.

Danny pointed at Phantom with narrowed eyes. "I don't get what's up with you...which is completely unbelievable. But if I know anything, Sam and Tucker can always talk sense into me. Hopefully it will work this time too."

"I'm not…" Phantom tried to argue.

But Danny cut him off. "We both know you're doubly lying to yourself." The human picked his phone up from the desk. "I'm texting our friends."

He opened the group text and started typing as he turned away from Phantom, leaving the ghost awkwardly floating in the corner of the room. Nebulous guilt swirled in Phantom's chest- at the thought that Sam and Tucker might see him as the ghost who possessed their friend, at his stand-offish behavior towards the human, at his continued denial. But...the truth was just too painful to embrace. The knowledge that they would never be normal or even fully human again. The paralyzing fear that the human half of him would still hate and fear the ghostly half after really acknowledging the truth. Phantom shuddered. What was he going to do?

But then Danny looked up at him with a slight smile. Maybe they would be okay. Phantom hoped, just maybe.


	8. Chapter 8

Danny approached the front door of Sam's house. Coming to a stop on the stoop, he glanced behind him where he knew Phantom was following. The boy pressed the doorbell, biting his lip as he waited for someone to answer. He tried to smile, happy at the thought of introducing (reintroducing?) his ghost to Sam and Tucker. But his stomach churned with anxiety, which he distinctly felt originating from the ghost. Well, not distinctly. Now that Danny was aware of it, he could tell the difference between his emotions and Phantom's, though they weren't exactly distinct and separate but interconnected. Not surprising at all considering who Phantom actually was.

Glancing back at where the ghost was floating (he couldn't actually see him per say, just sense his presence), Danny whispered. "It'll be okay. It's Sam and Tucker, our best friends."

Phantom said nothing, though he shifted nervously. Just then, the Mansons' butler opened the door.. "Good morning, Mr. Fenton. Ms. Manson and Mr. Foley await you in the entertainment room."

"Thanks." Danny replied as he walked through the opened door with Phantom floating behind him. The two made their way through the foyar and to the basement door. Danny walked down the stairs and down the hall, passed the bowling alley.

Just as he reached to open the door to the entertainment room, an echoing voice whispered behind him. "Danny." The ghost's cold hand brushed his shoulder, sending a spike of fear before he withdrew. Danny whipped around, meeting Phantom's scared eyes just as the ghost returned to wavering visibility. Phantom bit his lip. "What...what if they hate me?"

The human's eyes widened in alarm. "Why would they hate you?"

"They think I was possessing you." The ghost rubbed the back of his neck, looking down.

"But you obviously weren't." The human wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"Yeah but…"

Danny held out his hand. "But nothing. We'll tell Sam and Tucker what's going on and they'll help us figure it out. They've always had our back."

Phantom still would not meet his eyes but nodded. "You have a point." He wavered invisible but Danny sensed the ghost was still in front of him. "Go on in then and...introduce me, I guess."

"Sounds like a plan." Danny turned around and opened the door. "Hey guys." He greeted Sam and Tucker.

Sam turned to look at the boy from her seat on the couch, her conversation with Tucker piddling out. "Hey Danny. So I guess you're feeling up to hangout now."

Tucker also looked up. "Yeah dude, I was super surprised to get your text this morning, after last night."

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better." Danny replied.

"That's great!" Sam smiled. "So what do you want to do?"

Tucker pulled out his phone. "According to the app, that new Femalien movie is playing at noon and there's still seats."

"That sounds like fun! And then we can get lunch. That noodle place at the mall, maybe?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

Tucker crossed his arms. "You mean the vegetarian one."

"Come on! You liked the Pad thai."

Danny frowned. This was getting ready to turn into an argument. He felt the cool air shift behind him, probably from Phantom shifting nervously. Danny swallowed sharing the anxiety. With his stomach churning, he tried to calm himself. It would be fine; he'd tell Sam and Tucker what happened and they would believe him. With their acceptance, Phantom would stop denying and they could finally get back to normal. The ache in his soul would ease; all they needed to do was re-fuse. The boy cleared his throat. "Actually, can we hang out here? I need to talk to you guys about something."

Sam's mouth snapped closed. "Is this about yesterday?"

"Actually...yes. You guys need to meet someone." Danny glanced back at the space occupying the invisible ghost. He whispered. "You can go ahead and turn visible."

With shaky breath, Phantom reappeared in the visible spectrum, floating an inch above the floor. He cautiously eyed Sam and Tucker who gaped. The goth, who normally had plenty to say, remained frozen in silence.

After a small eternity, Danny spoke. "So….introductions. Or reintroductions I guess." He motioned to the ghost who floated forward to hover beside him. "Sam and Tucker, this is Danny Phantom." He grinned, eyeing the ghost. "And you already know Sam and Tucker."

Impossibly, his friends' eyes widened ever more as Phantom objected. "Hey! I didn't agree to being called that!"

Danny raised an eyebrow. "You didn't agree to be called by your name?"

The ghost held his hands out. "It's...this's not." He frustratedly blew out a breath. "It's just Phantom."

The human crossed his arms. "Then I'm just Fenton."

"Danny" Phantom started, the tone slightly exacerbated.

But Danny cut him off, putting one hand on his hip. "Nope. No. That's not my name. It's just Fenton."

Phantom sighed, then narrowed his eyes. "Okay Fenton."

Danny frowned. Well, clearly that argument failed. He opened his mouth to object (why was the ghost so freaking stubborn?) but before he could, Tucker, who had been watching the verbal tennis match with wide eyes, whispered. "What is going on?"

The noise also startled Sam out of her stupor. She asked flatly. "Why is the ghost who was overshadowing you in my basement?"

Phantom tensed in response. Danny gave him a comforting smile and then turned back to his friends. "That's not what was happening guys." He took a deep breath, taking the plunge. "Phantom is me."

"What?!" Both his friends, and the aforementioned ghost shouted.

Phantom whipped to the side, pointing at the human. "You can't just out and say that! We were supposed to just see what they think!"

"I'm just telling them the truth." Danny argued.

Sam interrupted. "I'm sorry. Can we go back to the part where Phantom is you?"

Danny and Phantom both turned to face Sam and Tucker, with equally startled faces. Danny shook his head, deciding to continue. "We're the same person so Phantom's me, but a ghost."

Tucker blinked owlishly. "But..but.. What...how?"

Danny paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "The ghost catcher….did something to me. To us? I don't really know how it works but….I just know I wasn't overshadowed before. I went through the ghost catcher and me and Phantom came out so….maybe it split me or something." At his friend's alarmed faces, he waved his arms. "Not physically. I'm physically fine." He turned to his ghost. "You are too, right?" Phantom nodded, numbly as Danny continued. "And I think I remember everything and it didn't do anything weird to my personality or anything. So I'm not exactly sure how….." He trailed off, trying to mime the appropriate words by making cutting motions with his hands. Finally he sighed. " Just...I know that Phantom and me are the same." At the end of the speech, the human Danny's mouth snapped shut as he eagerly but cautiously studied his friends' reactions, hoping they believed him.

Tucker shook his head. "Dude. That's….." He trailed off.

At the same time, Sam quickly looked between the two identical faces. Her eyes lit up in realization as she stood up without hesitation and approached the ghost. "I knew, I knew something was up yesterday, when you saved me." She glanced at the human Danny and then studied the ghost who was carefully avoiding her eyes. "He's telling the truth, isn't he?"

Shoulders falling, Phantom's eyes flickered to Sam but he looked away a second later, shaking his head. "He's a liar. Don't believe a word he says."

Sam laughed humorlessly. "Way to call yourself out there, Danny."

The ghost shook his head. "No. I'm not...I'm not him."

The girl frowned and punched him in the arm. "That's bull shit." Then she lunged forward and hugged him. "Don't you think I'd recognize my best friend, you idiot?"

The previously stiff Phantom relaxed into the hug, wrapping his arms around her. "Sam." He whispered.

The other teen pulled away a few moments later, blushing. "So are you still in denial?"

Giving her a watery smile, Phantom shook his head. Tucker, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes cautiously stepped forward to stand beside Sam. "Danny?" He asked, voice tinged with...hope(?).

"Yeah. It's me." Phantom nodded, voice flat.

Tucker then glanced between the two, mouth widening into a grin. "Dude. There's two of you."

"Yep." The human Danny returned the grin. He took his ghost's hand, feeling for the first time since going through the ghost catcher that everything would be okay. "So do you guys wanna play some video games?" He held up his hands, including the one still clenched in Phantom's. "With two sets of hands, I'm definitely going to beat you guys."

"Yeah!" "Totally!" With the energetic responses from Sam and Tucker, the human failed to register Phantom's lack of response….and the subtle unease projecting from the ghost.

* * *

Phantom took a seat on the couch beside his human self. No, not Phantom. Danny. That was his name afterall. The ghost could not deny who he was anymore. He tried to, when they first started talking to Sam and Tucker. He had half hoped that the two would not believe the human Danny and he could go on pretending. But then Sam had hugged him. She had known him, even when he had tried desperately to hide the truth even from himself.

And now Danny the ghost was sitting on the couch, literally beside himself, playing video games with Sam and Tucker who were trying to act like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Yes! I win!" Human Danny exclaimed.

The ghost glanced up from his controller, shaken out of his thoughts. He turned to the TV and raised an eyebrow; somehow he was in last place.

"Again!" Tucker moaned, then he noticed the other Danny's position. He gently elbowed the ghost from his seat in the armchair. "Man, you're sucking today." He pointed at the human on the couch, chuckling. "Did he get all the video games skills?"

The ghost shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess."

Tucker just chuckled again, while Sam rolled her eyes. "Do you guys want to get some snacks?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah!" The two human teenagers hopped up. They practically sprinted to the back of the room to grab cups of soda and bags of chips.

Sam rolled her eyes again, this time chuckling at the pair's antics. She turned towards the ghost who was trying to suppress a smile as well. She smiled. "Finally! You haven't smiled since you got here."

The boy's expression fell as he wrung his hands, the nervousness returning. "Oh. I guess all of this is still a little...weird for me."

Sam frowned and then opened her mouth to ask more, when Tucker and the human Danny returned. The human flopped down on the couch beside his ghost and opened a bag of chips. He and Tucker started stuffing their faces while Sam nibbed on some tortilla chips.

After a moment, Tucker eyed the ghost curiously. "Don't you want some?"

Ghost Danny who hadn't even bothered to reach for the food, tilted his head, studying the bags. Beside him, the other Danny perked up. "Yeah. I know you didn't eat anything before we got here this morning. Aren't you hungry?"

Looking away from the snacks, the ghost glanced at his human. He shook his head, voice filling with confusion and a little awe. "No. I'm not hungry. Not at all. I don't think I felt hungry since…going through the Ghost Catcher."

He closed his mouth, the weight of the statement and its implication silencing him. Because despite knowing who he truly was now, he was still a ghost and ghosts didn't need human food. Sam's frown deepened as she eyed him sadly while Tucker's smile also seemed to fall. But apparently it didn't register for the other Danny (or he remained willfully ignorant). "Huh, that's weird. Do you wanna try some anyway?"

Ghost Danny's expression softened at his human's eager smile. He reached for the bag of white cheddar popcorn in the other Danny's hands and popped a piece in his mouth. His brow furrowed as he moved the food around in his mouth, trying to taste it. His nose wrinkled as he swallowed. Then he noticed his friends' and the human Danny's confused expressions. "I can't taste it, at all. Like I know what this is supposed to taste like but...nothing."

Tucker raised an eyebrow while passing the ghost a bag of cheese puffs. "Maybe try something else?"

He put one of the puffs in his mouth to the same reaction. "I can kinda feel the texture but still can't taste anything."

Next, the ghost tried the tortilla chips Sam offered. He just shook his head as the others offered confused and vaguely sad looks. Finally the human Danny shook his head. "That is so weird. Maybe it will come back? Like when you have a cold and everything tastes off because your nose is stuffed?"

His ghost frowned; clearly the human was grasping at straws. Then Sam offered a welcome distraction. "You guys wanna watch a movie? I've got an early release of the last Terminatra movie."

"Yeah!" Human Danny replied eagerly, though Phantom could sense the excitement arose in an attempt to suppress his rising unease.

So the four watched the movie, apparently ignoring that strange conversation. It was so awkward! Sam and Tucker kept glancing at him with unreadable expressions which the other Danny seemed to be completely blind to. So Ghost Danny tried to ignore his friends' expressions by focusing on the movie. But his heart wasn't really in it (Except as a ghost, he didn't really have a heart. But was the human Danny's heart his heart? But the other Danny was actually into it? So how did all of this work?) The ghost shook his head, dislodging the thoughts. There was no point in pursuing those questions right now….

The movie which he had been barely watching paused as his human counterpart stood up. "I need to go to the bathroom." He glared pointedly at Sam and Tucker. "Don't start it again til I get back…..I might be a bit."

The teen walked out of the room without another word. Immediately Sam and Tucker turned towards the ghostly version of their friend.

"So" Amethyst eyes studied neon green. "you've been really quiet?"

The ghost's eyes widened. "No I haven't."

The girl gave him a serious, though compassionate look. "Yes, you have. Something's off with you, more than the obvious."

Ghost Danny wrung his hands, wariness rising but said nothing. Tucker and Sam both shared a concerned look. With a sigh, the techno-geek spoke. "Dude….Danny. We're your friends. You can tell us and whatever it is, we'll have your back. Remember?"

The words which he remembered hearing the day he told Mom and Dad about the accident and asked them to cure him, burned in his mind. He'd hated and feared his ghostliness so much, he'd hide even from Sam and Tucker. But there was no hiding now. Tucker looked so sincere and Sam was so worried.

The ghost spoke before he really registered what he was saying. "I didn't want you to see this."

"What?" Sam's eyebrow raised.

"Before the ghost catcher, we...I lied. This" The ghost motioned up and down his form. "Didn't just happen right after the accident. It kept happening but I hid it from you guys."

Tucker's eyes widened, his expression hurt. "Why dude? Why wouldn't you tell us?"

"I was…. ashamed. I didn't want you guys to see what I was….what I am."

Danny the ghost's mouth snapped shut, unable to say anything else. Sam and Tucker looked on, trying to process. Finally Sam blew out a breath. "So what...you glow and float and suddenly we're going to hate you?"

The ghost gaped and then put his head in his hands. Did Sam and Tucker also really not see? Slowly he looked up, removing his hands. He sighed. "You guys don't get it, do you? I'm a ghost."

Sam put a hand on her hip. "Yes, we've kinda established."

Ghost Danny shook his head, sputtering. "But...but I'm a ghost. An actual, real ghost." His voice quieted into a whisper. "Don't you understand? What has to happen for someone to become a ghost?"

His friends' eyes widened and dozens of emotions seemed to flash across the faces, until it settled into deep sadness.

"You have to…" Tucker whispered, unable to voice the word.

Sam's eyes watered. "So the portal, it…."

The ghost nodded, answering her unasked question. The humans remained silent, gaping for several moments as the ghost hugged his knees to his chest, fearing Sam and Tucker's response. Then Sam closed her mouth and stood up. The ghost glanced up, meeting her sad eyes. The girl came to sit on the left side of her ghostly friend. Tucker followed soon after, sitting on ghost Danny's other side.

Finally though her voice trembled, Sam spoke. "It...it doesn't matter." For a second, ghost Danny glanced at her with a hard, disbelieving stare before the girl back tracked. "I...I don't mean it like that. What happened to you is important and does matter. But..." She swallowed and reached for one of the boy's hands which he unclinched and let her take it with wide eyes. "You're still here. You….the...the portal did...that. But you're still here." Her wide eyes filled with a measure of hope and relief. "And you're still the same person you've always been."

Ghost Danny heaved a sigh, letting go of Sam's hand. "But I'm not the same person. Ghost….ghosts aren't the same as humans. They work differently. I work differently."

Sam raised a brow. "Are you sure about that? Or do you think that because your parents do?"

The ghost shook his head. "No. I know. I can just feel it, inside me. Even before the ghost catcher, something changed and not just the powers." He waved his hands in front of him searching for words. "Like..like…. I love flying. It's so free and calming; I never want to come down." He then bit his lip. "But I'm afraid of heights."

Tucker who had been listening intently the whole time chuckled in disbelief. "What? No, you're not! You want to be an astronaut. How can you be afraid of heights?"

"It's fine if you're on a plane or in a building or something! But out in the open, like on top of a building or a clif," the ghost shook his head. "That gives me the hebe jebes...or it did!" He put up his hands. "But somehow I can fly above the clouds without feeling terrified at all. It feels good, natural even!"

Tucker then shrugged as ghost Danny stopped talking. "That doesn't actually prove anything though."

"Yeah, Maybe you've just gotten over that fear and it has nothing to do with you being a ghost." Sam pointed out.

The ghost crossed his arms. "I know for a fact the other Danny couldn't go on top of the Ops Center without freaking out. Before splitting, we couldn't even float five feet above the ground without feeling terrified. This is definitely a ghost thing."

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other in silent conversation as their ghostly friend withdrew again, saddened. He really had only scratched the surface with Sam and Tucker but how could he explain when he couldn't even fathom what had happened and was happening to him? He knew, even before the ghost catcher, that the accident had changed him. But how deeply and in what ways? He still barely understood and it was terrifying.

After several moments, Sam put her right arm around the ghost and Tucker his left. The boy didn't relax into the embrace but didn't stiffen, unsure how to react. Finally Sam spoke. "Maybe you're right and being a ghost has changed you." She sighed, leaning in closer. "But I believe that doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"Yeah dude." Tucker added. "That's just life. Stuff happens and it changes you. But you can choose if it changes you in a good way or a bad way."

"None of us are the people we were when we met. But we've stuck together and grown with each other. And we're going to keep sticking together, no matter what." Sam continued.

Tucker nodded in agreement. "I'm totally with Sam on this one. We're here for you, Danny. So please don't shut us out."

Ghost Danny's breath caught in his throat, his emotions choking him in response to his friends' support. He leaned into their arms as his eyes watered. The three held each other as the ghost started crying in earnest. "You guys." He hiccuped. "What did I do to deserve friends like you?"

Sam and Tucker didn't respond, instead continuing the hug as the ghost started to calm down. He wasn't sure he completely believed them. He knew they cared about him despite his ghostly nature; that was not in question at all. But could they really accept him when he didn't accept himself? He couldn't believe that what happened to him could ever be a good thing or that his human self, who still didn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation, would be so optimistic and accepting. The other Danny seemed to think that undoing what the ghost catcher did would fix everything. But it would just put them back where they were before.

"I feel like I missed something really important." His own voice suddenly knocked him out of his shameful thoughts.

The ghost looked up to find his human's gaze flickering between his two friends before falling on the person in the middle. Human Danny's brow rose while the other Danny blushed and then looked away. Sam and Tucker slowly pulled away. The girl's facial expression remained determined, though compassionate. As if she wanted to continue the conversation.

Ghost Danny spoke before she could. "I'll fill you in later." He glanced at Sam who frowned. "I really don't want to go over everything again right now."

The other Danny's brow remained raised but he didn't question. Instead after Sam and Tucker returned to their seats, he sat down beside the ghost again. The movie marathon continued.


	9. Chapter 9

As the day continued, human Danny smiled to see the other Danny clearly relaxing. The human sensed that anxiety continued to swirl through the ghost's mind but the ghost boy smiled and laughed. And the part that made the human happiest? Phantom finally acknowledging his...their...name.

"Danny, do you want some ice cream?" Sam asked.

Human Danny said yes, while his ghost said no at the same time.

"Hey Danny, hand me that blanket, why don't you?" Tucker said, as he pointed.

Both Dannys reached for the blanket, causing the ghost to blush and pull away. The human handed their friends the blanket while rolling his eyes.

"What movie do you wanna watch next, Danny?"

Though different colors, two pairs of eyes lit up with identical excitement. "We should watch The Martian!" "Gravity! That was so good." "Or...Hidden Figures! Have you guys seen that yet? It was so good!" "Or we could do something older- like Back to the Future, or Blade Runner, or The Matrix!" The two voices, which sounded identical except for the ghostly echo, spoke over each other, seeming to run together.

"Danny!" Sam shouted, causing both boys mouth's to snap shut. "I can't tell what either of you are saying."

Both Dannys blushed with wide eyes, as the ghost muttered. "Sorry."

"No sweat dude. How about just answering one at a time? Uhhhh….human Danny?" Tucker remarked.

The human's nose wrinkled. "That sounds so weird."

"Yeah. And it's a mouth full." Tucker frowned, then he shrugged. "But we need to find some way to tell who we're talking to."

Beside him, the human Danny felt his ghost shift. The other boy bit his lip and then sighed. He pointed at the other Danny. "You guys can call him Danny." He looked down, voice quiet and sad. "I'll just be Phantom."

The human Danny glanced at the ghost questioningly. The previous excitement had completely evaporated, turning into lithless sadness…..which honestly left him a little confused. The human shook his head, finally speaking. "You don't have to do that. I can just be human Danny and you ghost Danny."

The ghost's frown deepened. "No. I don't like that. I know you don't like that." He looked up at Sam and Tucker. "Just call me Phantom."

The human sighed. "Then just call me Fenton, too." Phantom's questioning green eyes met his. "You're just as much Danny as I am so if you're not going to use the name, I won't either."

Phantom's expression softened as he nodded, giving his human self a grateful smile. "Okay then." He glanced at his friends. " I guess you can call me or him Danny if just one of us is here though."

"Okay then. Yeah" Tucker shrugged while Sam hummed in agreement. "So Phantom? What do you want to watch?"

The four fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the Martian at the ghost's suggestion. Satisfied chuckles and triumphant cheers echoed from the group at appropriate moments as the friends enjoyed each other's company. After a break to order takeout, they watched Back to the Future, one of Fenton's suggestions.

Munching on his egg roll, Fenton handed the carton of rice to his ghostly counterpart. The other boy eyed the food skeptically and then shrugged. He scoped a few spoonfuls into his mouth, though Fenton sensed he gained little satisfaction from the action. Phantom then handed the food back, settling into the couch to watch the movie.

Having finished his food, Fenton patted his belly. He hummed in satisfaction. Man that was good. He smiled, eyes flickering from the TV to Sam and Tucker who were laughing at the movie and then to Phantom who was smiling widely, his neon green eyes bright with mirth. The human sighed, feeling something close to fondness for the other boy. It was a strange feeling, considering who exactly the two were to each other but Fenton chose not to dwell on the conundrum. Instead he stretched out on the couch and plopped his socked feet in Phantom's lap. The ghost startled at the sudden contact but to the human's surprise and satisfaction, he didn't shy away but rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the TV.

Soft contentment flitted through the contact….or maybe Fenton's own present happiness overshadowed any of Phantom's more subtle input. The human yawned, feeling warm, full, and happy. Surrounded by his friends and almost at peace with his ghost, Fenton fell asleep.

* * *

That afternoon, Phantom relaxed, throwing himself into hanging out with Sam and Tucker, and his human self. Like any normal Saturday, he joked and laughed, chatting with his friends about school and other inconsequential subjects. He watched movies, played games, snacked and ate dinner. And it made him feel…..well, certainly not normal; he still couldn't taste the food and the initial awkwardness still lingered. But he felt less like a stranger to his own….life, if that was the right word.

A small snore at the other end of the couch drew the ghost's attention away from the action on screen. Sam raised an eyebrow. "Is he asleep? It's not even 8 yet."

The ghost studied his human. Then he nodded. "Yeah. We were up late talking." Then he glanced down, remembering the duel sensation of crying on the roof of Fentonworks and on their bed. "He didn't sleep well."

Sam and Tucker gave him sad, questioning looks but didn't ask. Phantom then shook his head, trying to remove the image of his human self lying on the bed, face stained with tears. Gently moving the human's legs from his lap, the ghost reached forward to shake Fenton awake. At the contact, his eyes briefly glowed brighter before narrowing in confusion.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Unconsciously, the corner of Phantom's lip turned up in a smile. "He's dreaming….about chasing fireflies at Aunt Alicia's when we were eight." He let out a soft giggle. "They tickled."

Then the light in Phantom's eyes dimmed and he pulled away. The ghost turned toward Sam and Tucker whose eyes were wide with startled confusion. Phantom blushed. "Sorry. That was weird."

Tucker shook his head. "Nah man. Not any weirder than anything else that happened during the last month."

The ghost let out a relieved sigh and then studied his human's sleeping face, eyes wide with awe. "He said earlier he dreamed through my eyes but….doing it from the other direction...wow, that was…." His speech faltered. Then he frowned, turning toward his friends again. "He's out like a light….I should take him home."

Phantom floated to his feet, moving to pick up his human counterpart.

Tucker's voice stopped him. "Wait Danny." The barrett- wearing boy sighed. "I wanted to say….I'm sorry." The ghost tilted his head questioningly as his friend continued. "Before you told your parents, I wasn't the best friend to you."

Phantom frowned. "Tuck, that's ridiculous. You and Sam have been amazing friends."

Tucker shook his head and glanced at Sam who shared his apologetic look. Then the techno-geek spoke. "Both of us tried to act like the accident wasn't a big deal but I'm starting to see now how serious what happened to you actually was." The boy wrung his hands. "You were scared and hurting….you still are…. And I think I belittled that."

The ghost just stared at his friends, finding no words to accept the deeply moving apology. Then Sam swallowed. "I'm sorry too. I was definitely too pushy about your powers and figuring out the weird stuff that was happening this week."

Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. "You were probably right about that though."

The girl shrugged, sincere eyes fixed on the ghost. "Maybe. But I still was being selfish. This wasn't about me and I should have tried to make it." Her shoulders feel as she put her head in her hands. "I should have tried to understand and support you better." Her eyes then feel on Phantom's human self. "Maybe then you wouldn't have done this to yourself."

The ghost's eyes also feel on his human. "I...we...that's…" He stuttered before falling silent.

"You split yourself in half." Sam's quiet voice broke the silence.

As Phantom looked down, Tucker added. "We know you didn't do it on purpose but who knows what this is doing to you?"

"This could hurt you, permanently." She bit her lip. "Can you promise us that you'll talk to the other Danny and figure out what you're going to do?"

Phantom glanced at his human. Fear and sadness spiked. "But...but…. He...what if…" He sighed deeply. "He hasn't really realized everything yet. What if he can't...what if he doesn't…?" He trailed off, unable to verbalize his fear.

Tucker shook his head. "Dude. If anyone's going to get it, he is. He is you."

Phantom bit his lip. Tucker did have a point; maybe he needed to have more faith in himself. "Yeah." He replied mildly.

Sam scrutinized him. "Just promise that you'll figure this out, okay?"

Glancing between his friends, the ghost finally sighed. "I promise." He floated back to the couch. Bracing to possibly see into Fenton's dream again, Phantom gently picked up the human and held him bridal style. No images came, just sleepy contentment as the human's head rolled to the side and nuzzled into Phantom's shoulder. The ghost then looked up at Sam and Tucker. "We'll call or text you guys in the morning, after we talk."

The friends acknowledged with a nodd. "Bye Danny." "See you later."

"Have a good night." The ghost nodded as he floated off the floor, his legs morphing into a ghostly tail. Turning intangible, he phased through the ceiling and slowly flew towards Fentonworks.

The flight home was luckily uneventful. Phantom turned both himself and his passenger invisible so they wouldn't be spotted. To the ghost's relief, he managed to stay mentally present, not getting drawn into his human's dreams. And the aforementioned human miraculous stayed fast asleep; that was a particularly strong worry for Phantom. He hated to imagine giving his human self a heart attack if the boy woke up to find himself at least twenty feet in the air.

Phasing through the window, Phantom gently placed Fenton on the bed. The ghost bit his lip, remembering something. Mom had asked the human Danny to text when he was coming home, which never happened. But now he was already home. The ghost then heard a bang from downstairs, meaning….Mom and Dad were probably still in the basement. Awkwardly, he reached for the cellphone in his human self's pocket, phasing it through the fabric. The ghost unlocked the phone and sent a text to Mom.

_I'm home. You & Dad were in the basement so I went up to bed. Love you._

Plugging the phone in and putting it down on the nightstand, Phantom floated back to the desk chair, debating what to do. He had promised Sam and Tucker that he and the other Danny would talk but where even to start? And the other looked so peaceful sleeping there and he had definitely been really tired. It wouldn't hurt to let him sleep for a few hours, right? Not that Phantom was trying to procrastinate, not at all.

The ghost continued to watch, lip turning up as the human nuzzled into his pillow. It was then, having finally acknowledged the truth and without the distraction of his friends, the surrealness of the situation struck Phantom. Though he was floating over the desk chair, he at the same time was asleep on the bed. Phantom was literally watching himself sleep. And it wasn't like right after the ghost catcher, when he thought he was just watching his unconscious body breath in and breathe out. Part of himself, his consciousness, his very soul still lied within that body. But right now, he couldn't tell what that part of himself was thinking or feeling. He had before glimpsed the other's emotions and could guess his thoughts based on knowing the human Danny intimately. But he didn't KNOW. And that, the unknown was terrifying.

Then the door to the room cracked open and Phantom flickered invisible as Mom poked her head in the room. Her eyes feel on the sleeping teenager. Her expression softened as she smiled. "He looks so adorable." She whispered. "Goodnight sweetie."

At the motherly proclamation, the ghost blushed. "Goodnight Mom." He whispered, sadly.

And that was another problem. Mom and Dad loved their son, without question. But they thought he was human. And if they learned the truth, they might still love the human part but what about the ghost? Phantom almost thought he felt his stomach drop as he brought his knees to his chest. He peered at the human Danny.

How could he expect Mom and Dad, who hate ghosts vehemently, to love him if Phantom wasn't convinced he could love himself?

Note: Another chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to let you guys know. I will be taking a break from writing this story of the Phicc Phight this month and probably some of May too for Dannymay and/or Phanniemay. Please be on the look out for those if you like this story and other other writing. For this story, I have chapters 10 and 11 written so those will definitely get posted before I'll have a bit of a break but I'll be back to writing this story again at the end of May


	10. Chapter 10

Fenton blinked awake to find Phantom floating in the dark above their desk chair again. The ghost was carefully studying him.

Still lying down, the human half-smiled. "Were you watching me sleep again?" Phantom's eyes met his.

The ghost blushed, face turning green (that was so weird). "Sorry." He whispered. "I guess I'm being kinda creepy."

"Nah." Fenton dismissed the statement. "It's fine."

Phantom frowned, wringing his hands. "It's just so….weird seeing you like this." Fenton furrowed his brow in confusion, provoking the ghost to clarify. "From…the outside." He added meekly.

Tilting his head, Fenton's eyes slowly traveled up and down Phantom's body. Taking in the green eyes and white hair he remembered seeing in the mirror, the jumpsuit like the one he put on before going into the portal but with inverted colors. The surrealness of the statement mystified him. "I think…..I think I get what you mean. This is weird, seeing you not just in a mirror." He sighed. "But it's kinda cool though. I mean no one ever gets to see what they really look like, live and in person." He shrugged. "So I guess just enjoy it while you can."

With that, Fenton intended to settle back into his covers again, until he realized he had to pee. Groaning he sat up. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back."

With a nod from the ghost, the human stood up and walked to the bathroom at the end of the lite hallway. After doing his business, he returned to find a note on his door. Fenton raised an eyebrow and skimmed the paper, apparently a note from his parents.

Still holding the note, he turned the hallway light off. "Why do they always have to leave that stupid light on?" He grumbled. "It always shines right into my room."

With a sigh, Fenton closed the door and made his way back to the bed. Then he addressed the ghost who was still floating where he left him. "So apparently we have the house to ourselves. Jazz is staying at a friend's house so they can carpool to the SAT tomorrow. And Mom and Dad went ghost hunting, said they'd be back by 3." He glanced at the clock. "It's midnight now and I'm not that tired. So do you want to….." He trailed off, finally taking in Phantom's serious expression and his silence. Fenton frowned. "Something's bothering you."

Phantom's eyes widened at the statement. He gaped. "No. It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

The human raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Everything will be okay. You can just go back to sleep." Phantom tried to brush him off.

Fenton huffed. "I'm definitely not going to be able to sleep now so let's just talk about it."

Actually coming down to sit in the chair, Phantom shook his head. "I...I don't...we shouldn't. It's not a good idea..." He bit his lip, lingering in silence for a long pause. Then the ghost sighed and his voice turned down into a barely audible whisper. "I don't want to re-fuse."

Fenton's eyes widened. "You mean like not right now? Cause we don't have to do it right now."

"No." Phantom shook his head more forcefully. "I don't want to re-fuse...at all." Fenton's expression turned hurt. Phantom...Phantom couldn't actually mean that, could he? At the distressed expression, Phantom's speech quickened. "I mean, I'm not going to run off or disappear on you. I promise I'll stay by your side. And we can still hang out together, with Sam and Tucker. We can play video games and stargaze and do a bunch of the other stuff we like. And...and we'll figure out how to...exist like we are now. How to be friends or family or whatever we are now. And….and you can have your normal life, like you're supposed too, like you want."

The speech slowed to a stop, with Fenton still gaping. Finally, after a small eternity he spoke. "I'm sorry. You don't….you don't want to re-fuse?"

The ghost nodded, looking down to avoid his human's eyes.

"How can you NOT want to? You….you can't be okay with just being like….this for the rest of….how ever long?!" Fenton gripped his hair.

"No. I don't like it but….. It's just not a good idea."

"How is re-fusing, us going back to the way we're supposed to be, not a good idea?!"

"It's just….you...you won't understand." Phantom wrung his hands.

At that Fenton practically leapt out of the bed. He stopped, not a foot from the ghost and leaned down slightly so the two were face to face. "What do you mean I won't understand?"

At the sudden closeness, Phantom leaned back, then flickered intangible. "You...you just won't."

At the ghost's reaction, Fenton stepped back. He could feel himself getting tense, getting angry but that wasn't going to work here. He took a deep breath, his expression softening. "Phantom. Danny." Slowly the ghost met the human's eyes, returning to tangibility. Fenton offered his hand. "Just...just sit with me and talk. Please. Can you do that?"

Uncertainly, Phantom took the hand. A small spike of sadness and fear came through the contact before the ghost clamped down on the emotions. The two walked to the bed. Fenton took a seat cross-legged across from Phantom who did the same. Phantom pulled his hand out of the human's, planting his hands in his lap.

Fenton sighed and then finally spoke. "Can you explain it to me?"

"What?" Looking up, Phantom tilted his head.

"Whatever I'm not getting, not understanding. Clearly you're seeing something that I'm not for some reason. So please explain it to me?"

The ghost shook his head, biting his lip.

"Danny, please. I want to understand." The human's face softened. "You don't have to be afraid to tell me."

"You'll….you'll react badly."

"No, I won't. I promise I'll understand and I won't get mad. How could I? I'm literally you. We're the same person."

Sighing, Phantom fixed his eyes on his lap. "But we're not." He whispered.

Fenton's eyes widened and he tried not to groan. "Please, not again. I thought we were passed this."

Phantom clenched and unclenched his hands nervously. "We are, it's just….." He blew out a breath. "You're human and I'm…..not. You're normal, like we're supposed to be. But I'm….a ghost."

"Okay…..?" With one raised eyebrow, Fenton frowned. "But we're still on the same page though. We're both Danny."

"Yes we are." The ghost agreed flatly. " But are you listening to me? I'm a ghost."

Fenton sighed, struggling to remain patient. "Phantom. I get that, I do. But what does it have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything." Phantom answered as if it was the most obvious thing.

The human felt his own frustration rising. "But how? You're still not making any sense."

"How am I not making sense? I am a ghost. Literally. With all the glowing, floating, turning invisible….stuff. And I don't just look like a ghost. I AM a ghost." He carefully emphasized the words.

Fenton gripped his hair. "Okay! But why do you not want to re-fuse?"

"I'm dead." Phantom's (forced) calmness contrasted sharply with the weight of the statement as Fenton felt his heart stop. The ghost's mouth snapped shut and he curled in on himself, as if trying to look smaller.

After a few moments, Phantom finally spoke. His eyes fixed on his lap, his voice whispered. "That's what has to happen for you to be a ghost. You have to die. I'm...I'm the part of us….." He finally looked at his human. "The part of YOU that died in the portal."

He gaped, taking in his ghost's word but not processing. "So…..that's….ummm."

Phantom interrupted before Fenton could ever hope to respond. "Do you get why we can't re-fuse now? I'm just like….this and there's no way to fix it or make it better." He shook his head and then fixed earnest green eyes on Fenton. "But you're still human. You can still be safe and normal, just….without me."

The human's stomach fell at that. It felt too much like a rejection. "You...you can't mean that."

"I'm sorry." Phantom bit his lip. "But it's true. You'd be better off without me."

The human's lip quivered. "No. Phantom. Please." He pleaded, slight panic in his tone.

Eyes widening, the ghost put his hands forward placatingly. "Hey. It's okay. I promise I won't leave you. I just...just want you to be happy and safe."

Panic rising, Fenton held out his arms. "How am I supposed to be happy like this?! Without you?!"

"You don't need me." Phantom stated, voice deceptively calm.

"Yes I do."

"No. You don't." Just a tinge of frustration entered Phantom's voice.

"Yes I do. You're literally me!" Fenton pleaded. How could Phantom be saying this?

"I know that!" The ghost's fists balled ever so slightly.

At the affirmation, Fenton's jaw fell. His own annoyance flared "Then why are you still denying me?! I need you."

"Stop saying that, please." Phantom's voice shook slightly.

The plea for silence pricked Fenton's heart painfully. But he pressed on. "You're my ghost, my other half."

"Danny please." The other closed his eyes, as if it would prevent him from hearing the truth.

But if he could just get his other half to listen… "We are literally two halves of one whole."

"Fenton stop."

"NO!" Something in the human Danny snapped. "I'm half a person without you! How are I supposed to be happy without the other half of my soul?!"

"You don't actually want me!" And just like that, the previous fire in Fenton died as his blood turned cold. In a flash, Phantom rose off of the bed and bared his teeth. "You just want to feel whole!" The ghost's aura brightened as the temperature suddenly dropped. The room crackled with ghostly energy, stealing the human's breath. "I remember what we thought about our powers before the ghost catcher. I'm a sickness, a disease. Some...some foreign thing that's been haunting you."

"No that's not… " Fenton tried to deny but Phantom interrupted.

"Yes it is! Don't you remember why we did this to ourselves?! You were scared and I get that. But you didn't even try to understand. You just wanted to...to get RID of me!" Phantom shook with pained anger, tears started to collecting in the corner of his eyes.

Something like guilt swirled in the human's heart. "No I didn't." He whispered.

"Yes you did!" Phantom practically screamed, a few tears falling. "You threw me away, Danny. And didn't even realize it, for days!"

"You didn't either." The human argued though the word felt hollow and passionless. "And why...why are you just directing this at me? We both decided to get rid of our ghost…..powers." Eyes suddenly widening, human Danny cut himself off. He….he couldn't….he didn't….

Phantom's biting words cut through the rising dread. "I am the ghost powers." Though the ghost glared, his voice shook.

With that, Fenton curled in on himself and stared down, unable to meet ghost Danny's eyes. Above him, Phantom suddenly plopped down on the bed. When the ghost spoke, his pained voice was quiet. "It's not the ghost part of us that didn't want to be a ghost."

_It was me._ Fenton wanted to say but the words died in his throat.

"If we re-fuse, we'll be right back where we started. With all that confusion, fear, disgust, and self hatred. With the unstable powers. I don't want to live stewing in that. I don't want you to live with that." The ghost shifted awkwardly, shaking the bed. "And how long...how long until it's too much and I get thrown away again?"

Feeling another stab to the heart, Fenton looked up. Then Phantom continued and his human's heart broke.

"Or worse. You get Mom and Dad to find a way to get rid of me more permanently. More completely." He wrung his hands, looking down. "That would probably kill you too but desperation makes people do stupid things."

A glowing tear fell on the bed and Fenton reached forward. "Danny." He whispered.

"Stop. Please." Phantom's voice broke.

"But-" The other boy's own eyes started filling with tears.

"Stop! Can't you see I'm trying to protect you?" His other half's lip quivered. "You don't want me. You CAN'T want me. So just stop."

"Phantom. Please….this….we should…" Pale, ungloved hands reached again, grabbing the ghost's arms.

Phantom wrenched himself out of the hold, as the human let out a startled yelp at sudden, physical pain from the glacial contact. But it only registered for a second. Instead he stared at the distraught ghost. "Just stop! Stop trying to comfort me!" The dripping tears turned into a stream. "I'm scum. A dirty, good-for-nothing ghost. I'm a freaking disease! I deserve to be hated so stop acting like you don't!"

Now weeping, Phantom collapsed on his side of the bed, as far as he could get from his other half. Crystal tears froze on his face before melting as soon as they fell to the bed. Tears blurring his own vision, human Danny looked dumb-struck between his other self and his own cold-burned hands. He wanted to reach out, to comfort. But….

His heart clenched. He felt so helpless, so guilty.

Legs shaking he rose from the bed and stumbled towards the door. As he opened and walked through it, the volume of the sobs from the bed increased. The door closed and his heart shattered.

* * *

Barely able to see through his tears, Fenton stumbled down the dark hallway and into the bathroom. After closing the door, he slid down the wall and hunched on the floor. There he finally let out a sob. What….why? None of this….none of this made sense! How did he… how could he….Phantom….his ghost.

So much, so much had happened since the ghost catcher and then this. He couldn't…..he didn't understand. Except….except he did. He did. This made too much sense. It meant he was a horrible, awful person. His stomach flopped with guilt, the heavy emotion crushing him like many boulders. Like he was underground, surrounded by darkness and oppressive suffocating weight. He took a struggling breath, feeling completely helpless. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to do?! What could he do? Nothing Nothing. He was helpless, hopeless, so guilty.

Tears poured down his face as his body shook with sobs. Unable to stay sitting, Fenton collapsed onto his side on the floor. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be. No. It wasn't no way. His mind felt fuzzy with sudden exhaustion, the outside world seeming far away. Maybe this was a dream. Yeah, all this since the stupid accident had to be a dream, since there was no way this was his life.

He rolled onto his stomach and buried his face in the rug. More tears streamed as his nose stopped up. The stupid portal, the ghost powers, the ghost weeping on his bed. None of that could be real. He had to be dreaming. It was the only explanation. Because it couldn't be real._ Or you can't handle that it's real._ A small dark part of him whispered.

He silently screamed. No No. This was just a dream and he just needed to wake up and everything would be okay again. Chest heaving with another sob, the boy rubbed his face against the rug again. The rug that wasn't here, right? His head felt heavy, his mind fuzzy with thoughtless sorrow. He wept, drowning in everything until he drifted off.

* * *

Sometime later, Fenton groggily returned to awareness. His face was on something fuzzy? He opened blurry eyes. This wasn't his pillow. And was he on the floor? He blinked in the darkness and his heart fell, realizing where he was. He was still on the stupid floor of the stupid bathroom. The boy sniffled. He needed to get up.

Trying to get up off the floor, the human pushed his palms against the floor only to bite back a scream of pain. Shaking hands returning to his field of vision, his eyes widened at the red, blistered flesh. A cold burn from touching Phantom. Meaning….

Oh shit, oh shit. No No No NO This was real. This was real. The portal, the powers, Phantom. His ghost, HIS ghost was real. Phantom was real and weeping on the bed because Fenton had….he had….. The boy could hardly bear the thoughts. That he had messed up everything! Everything! He was such a screw up. And everything was shit, and it was his fault. What am he going to do? He cried harder.

But….but his hands hurt so much, distracting him from the self-deprecating thoughts. He fixed his gaze on the blistered hands and struggled to sit up. With some grunts and hisses of pain, he managed a sitting position. The boy hunched over, snot threatening to drip down his face. Why did his hands hurt?! Why did everything hurt? Why was any of this happening?

He hissed at the burns. Phantom, his ghost had hurt him by accident, burning him as his powers lashed out in emotional turmoil. And….and he had hurt Phantom too. _Except that was on purpose_, a small vile part of his mind accused. No, no. It wasn't. It wasn't. How was he supposed to know this would happen if he tried to get rid of his powers?! He couldn't have known. He didn't know.

Except….did that matter, that he hadn't known? What Phantom said he thought of his powers was true. He'd been terrified and disgusted by the 'infection' trying to overtake him. He hadn't even tried to understand. He was too absorbed in, held hostage by his darker emotions. So he decided to treat his ghostliness as a foriegn thing, something easy to fear…..or even hate. He was such a horrible person.

Danny, the human, shivered at that thought, trying to push it away. But Phantom's green eyes haunted him. First accusing and angry…..then broken and tortured. Eyes that, though a different color, were the same shape as his. It hurt to be yelled at and accused by his own voice. To have the truth expounded so forcefully by someone with his face.

But….that wasn't it, not really. Phantom's eyes, Phantom's voice, Phantom's face weren't HIS. They didn't belong to the person thinking this thought as if the appearance was borrowed or even shared. They were really, truly, completely Phantom's eyes, voice, and face.

The realization brought no joy, no relief. Putting his head down, he wept.

Then something green flashed in the mirror above the sink, just in the periphery of his vision. The boy sat up quickly. Had….was Phantom….had his ghost self come back to talk to him? Shakily, Fenton stood up. Only to meet his own glowing green eyes in the mirror. Phantom's eyes. The human closed his eyes, blocking the view.

Fenton sighed. Those were Phantom's eyes in the mirror but what was Phantom other than a name, an alias? Something his ghost self decided to call himself when he'd been confused, terrified, and in pain. Something meant to make everything a little more bearable. Those green eyes were just Danny's eyes. And he, Fenton, was Danny. Phantom, the ghost in the bedroom, was Danny. And the two of them, Fenton and Phantom together, were the two parts who made up the whole, complete, real Danny.

Fenton had said and thought all of this before, when he and Phantom first talked in their bedroom and even earlier that very night. But he didn't really understand it until right then. And understanding hurt because it meant all of what his other self said was true. He'd feared, hated, and disowned a part of himself. He'd allowed himself to be violated, to be ripped apart. No, not allowed. He'd done it on purpose. Danny deliberately had thrown himself away.

No wonder his ghost self was in such pain. All of those feelings directed at him and his other half hadn't even apologized.

Finally Danny Fenton opened his eyes. He frowned, feeling slightly sad that the glow had receded. But that connection to his ghost self still burned strong. Phantom was still crying on the bed but he had been crying long enough. The two of them needed to talk. But would Phantom listen? And if he did, could he forgive himself?

Sighing Fenton looked down at his hands….which weren't hurting anymore. His eyes widened. Though pale, raised scars remained, the blisters were gone. Phantom had inadvertently hurt him but the wound had healed. And over time, even if the scars never faded, Danny would forgive and forget that he ever hurt himself. His lip turned up, even so slightly, feeling something like... hope.

Wiping his face, the human steeled his courage and then turned away from the sink. He closed the door to the bathroom. It was time to have this conversation with Phantom. Fenton wouldn't allow the problem to fester anymore than it had. They would heal the rift between him and his ghost self. It was time to make things right.

* * *

Fenton stood in the doorway to his bedroom for several moments, watching the lump in his bed. While he had been in the bathroom, Phantom had huddled under the covers, facing away from the door. Had he fallen asleep too? The human sighed. Even if he had, it was time.

Quietly, Fenton closed the door and walked around the bed. The ghost remained motionless until the other Danny sat down. Eyes popping open, Phantom reflexively turned intangible, causing the covers to fall through him. Then he flickered invisible.

The human tried to produce a comforting smile but didn't comment on the invisibility. Instead he focused on where he knew the ghost's eyes were. "I'm sorry." When no response came, he continued. "You were right about everything you said. I was afraid and disgusted so I did….I did try to get rid of you." His voice cracked. "I messed up, a lot without realizing it. I hurt you a lot and I….I understand why you're angry at me."

Phantom shimmered into visibility. He looked down, avoiding the human's eyes. "I get it….and I'm not really angry with you."

"But you're in pain. And I...I did that. I'm so sorry." He wrung his hands, voice shaking. "And….I don't hate you."

The ghost raised an eyebrow. "You don't?"

"No." He said with certainty. "I was scared earlier, terrified even. But I don't think I ever hated you. And I definitely couldn't now."

"Why?" Phantom's eyes shimmered with renewed tears. "Why don't you hate me?"

Fenton trailed off into silence, not finding the words to voice his thoughts. Finally taking a deep breath, he laid down on the bed facing Phantom.

"What are you doing?" The ghost whispered, eyes widening.

"I have more to say. I need to know that you understand what I have to tell you."

Phantom searched his face. Finally his expression softened. "Okay."

"Do you remember earlier, when you said it was weird seeing me like this, from the outside?"

The ghost's lip trembled. "I guess seeing me is weird too…."

Fenton cut him off. "It's not about that. It is kinda weird but it showed me something important."

"What?" Phantom's brow furrowed.

"Danny." Fenton breathed. "You're just me. You're not some monster, curse, or disease." He chuckled, kindly. "You're just me." The confusion on his other self's face slowly faded as he explained. "I've thought and said it before but I didn't really understand until just now. But when I see you, I just see me." His eyes soften. "You're just the part of me that's a ghost. And throwing you, that part of me, away was a mistake."

"Really?" Phantom asked, hope mixed with skepticism.

"Yes. We….I was scared before and refused to even try to understand you. But….I'm not scared now. And I want to understand." Fenton sighed. "I know it will be hard. You….being a ghost…. is new. And there's probably so many things, so many changes, we've not seen, not even considered yet. So I know things will still be difficult and scary at times at least." As his ghost half's expression fell, the heaviness of the statement dawned on the other Danny. Offering a comforting smile, he added. "But I don't want to be afraid anymore. I want to try. To be the person we're supposed to be. Together."

"Really because…..you don't have to….we don't…." The ghost trailed off, mesmerizing eyes staring into Fenton's.

The human stared back without hesitation and again was struck by the impossibleness of the situation. To see this new part of himself like this. This part of himself that he rejected. But now this part of his soul was bared so openly, with thoughts and feelings about that rejection and a voice to speak to him.

A thousand questions and statements and emotions swam in Fenton's head but one rose to the surface. Closing his eyes, the human gently rolled his head forward so his forehead rested on his ghost's.

"I want you." Danny's human half whispered.

His ghost half voiced no reply but feelings drifted through the contact. Acceptance and contentment, 'I believe you' but without words.

Human Danny continued. "I want to understand YOU. To know YOU. To learn how to be US, with you." He wasn't sure whether the words were spoken aloud or in his head.

_Thank you. _His ghost offered clear gratitude and the other boy's heart sang for joy. An image came to the human's mind.

_A grinning Phantom twirling in the sky. Whopping with joy, he dives._

The human grinned in kind at the vision from his ghost. He was not certain how but he knew, the figure wasn't his ghost half alone, but both of them. The whole, complete Danny who was both human and ghost. The human half sent an image.

_Himself, in human form, sneaking up on Sam and Tucker invisibly. He taps them, suddening turning visible with a shout. "BOO!" Tucker screams and Sam hits him playfully._

The two identical voices laughed. Then another image.

_Phantom, eating a sandwich and smiling in obvious pleasure at the taste._

The human half can feel the ghost half smile brighter as the images come faster.

_Fenton, It's raining outside. He turns intangible and the water just falls through him. _

_Phantom, asleep in a tree, his ghostly tail curls around the branch._

_Fenton, playfully throwing a ball of green ectoenergy up and down._

Dozens of images of life as a ghost and a human. And of something in between. The ghostly in the human and the human in the ghostly. The human Danny couldn't tell the origin, if they were from him or the other Danny. But it did matter. It. Didn't. Matter. His soul sang, magnetized to its other half. His head felt fuzzy, his body tingly.

_Phantom, floating in front of the portal._

_Fenton, eating dinner with Mom, Dad, and Jazz._

_Phantom sitting on the roof, watching the stars._

_Fenton, laughing at the lunch table, with Sam and Tucker._

His smile widened, his own ghostly chill comfortably bathing his human body. The physical contact of the black-haired head and white-haired head both were magnifying and decreasing. Eyes still closed, he felt his ghost self inch closer but the bed didn't shift.

_Burger and fries at the Nasty Burger_

_Curiously watching a blob-like ghost in the park_

_Winning the next level of Doomed_

_Venturing through the portal, not to escape, but to explore._

_In a space suit, setting feet on Mars._

_Floating in space, bare and glowing like one of the stars_

His heart beat and his blood rushed through his veins. His core pulsed and his energy sparked.

_Family, Friends, Laughter, Hopes, Dreams, Love_

_Peace, Completeness, Wholeness, Unity_

But…..

_Sadness, Fear, Doubt, Pain_

_Mom and Dad catching him in ghost form. They shoot him and lock him in a cage. "It's me! It's Danny. Please. You have to believe me!" He tried to turn back. Why can't he turn back?!_

With a gasp, both Danny's jolted away from each other. Blinking, the human Danny's vision struggled to clear. Why couldn't he see his other self? Then the boy realized nothing was wrong with his vision. The ghost appeared translucent and mist-like, his head drooping sadly. The human's eyes trailed the insubstantial figure, noting how their galaxy-patterned bed sheets were visible through the body. Fenton's eyes slowly widened as he took in the ghost's tail. Then the human's eyes popped open as his glaze covered the end of the appendage. It was phased into the human half's abdomen, the mistiness of the ghost's form distorting the human's view of his legs so he couldn't tell where one body began and the other ended.

"Did we….were we just….?" Human Danny whispered.

Staring in awe, his gaze flickered between his own stomach where he and his other half had drawn together and to the face of his ghost. The human then shivered, more feeling than seeing Phantom draw away from him. His misty form condensed as his tail reformed and then split into legs. He floated off the bed and into a sitting position above it.

Shoulders shaking, Phantom finally looked at him. His voice broke. "I thought you wanted to re-fuse."

The human frowned, slowly sitting up. He had…..and they had been doing that, becoming one but stopped. Why? Then he remembered. That fear, Mom and Dad capturing them, hurting them. And it pricked his heart. Somehow Fenton knew he had been the one to offer up that nightmare.

Phantom eyed the door as if planning to bolt. In a moment, this brought Fenton's attention back to him. With hardly a thought, the human leapt forward and clung to his other half. He buried his face in the other's shoulder. The ghost gently pushed him away.

"I thought…..you said you wanted me. But you pushed me away." The tone wasn't angry but broken, profoundly hurt.

Fenton's own expression reflected Phantom. After being so close, every emotional injury hurt double, from both ends. But the human pushed away the pain. He put a hand on his other half's shoulder.

"I do. I promise I do. But….." He bit his lip. "What about Mom and Dad?"

His other half's eyes widened, voice trembling with fear. "If we merge and they find out….."

"We'll have to hide it from them." The human frowned, hating that option. He imagined going back to before the ghost catcher, being afraid of Mom and Dad's weapons, cringing as they talked about experimenting on ghosts. He remembered being Phantom as Mom and Dad chased and shot him. He imagined them capturing him in ghost form and locking him in a cage. Fenton shook his head. "No. no. We can't. No"

For a split second, Phantom's eyes flashed with hurt; Fenton felt his doubt as the ghost thought he was refusing to merge again. But then he understood. "We can't live like that, with Mom and Dad hating us."

Fenton shook his head. There was no solution. Except…..Mom and Dad loved their son. And they had believed him about his ghost powers the first time so….

"What if we told them before we merged?" Fenton asked.

Phantom floated back, startled. "What?!"

"If we don't then, we'll have to hide after. They could hurt us without even realizing."

"So you want to tell them when we're separated so they can hurt me now instead!?" Phantom sneered, a mixture of hurt and reigniting anger.

Fenton's jaw dropped. Did his other half still think so little of him? "No! Course not. I won't let them hurt you." Phantom's offended expression vanished, though he remained tense. "I won't let them hurt you. But if we tell them who you are now….."

"They won't believe us." Phantom frowned, shaking his head.

"We'll make them see." Fenton argued. "We need to come clean now. If we don't everything will build and when they do find out, they'll either hurt us badly or our relationship will be ruined. But we can make them understand now."

The ghost bit his lip. "How?" With wide green eyes, the ghost pleaded, his tone somewhere between hope and scepticism.

"We'll get Sam and Tucker to vouch for us. And we'll tell them everything. We'll make them see. They'll….they'll believe me." They have to. Fenton swallowed.

Phantom scrutinized him for a moment. Then his expression softened. "I trust you. We'll call Sam and Tucker….and talk to Mom and Dad in the morning."

Just then, both boys turned their heads towards the window at the roar of an engine. The Fenton RV pulled into the drive away. "Speak of the devil." Phantom quipped, joylessly

The human rolled his eyes. "Mom and Dad are home, I guess. You should probably get going though. We'll plan in the morning. Okay?"

"Yeah" The ghost's shoulders fell.

Expression softened, his human stood up. "Hey Danny." He crossed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Phantom.

"What are you doing?" Phantom asked with no bite.

The human offered a slightly playful smile. "I think Jazz would say, I'm embracing a new side of myself."

"You're a dork." Phantom quipped flatly.

"WE'RE a dork." Fenton chuckled.

"Yeah" Phantom's voice softened as he returned the hug. "I guess we are."

With a soft wave of fondness (Fenton couldn't tell if it was his or his ghost's, not that it really mattered), Phantom let go. Turning invisible, he phased through the ceiling.


	11. Chapter 11

Note: Since I posted part of this for DannyMay Day1, I decided to post the rest of the chapter. This will be the last update for a while. I'm doing DannyMay this year so won't be working on Face to Face again until after that. But come June, I am totally dedicating myself to this story. I have a few plot lines and character arcs I want to explore with this story so there'll be several more chapters before the conclusion.

Phantom floated cross legged on the roof of Fentonworks. How did he always end up back here? He sighed and wiped his face with his sleeve. At least he wasn't crying like last night. His core clenched, swirling with emotions. He didn't know how to feel, what to think about everything that happened in the last three hours. But maybe he felt better, maybe.

He remembered earlier, right before Mom and Dad came home, when he and his other half had almost merged. He'd felt peace, finally for the first time since the accident. With his head and body growing fuzzy and insubstantial, his mind hummed in pure joy, harmonizing with its other half. He'd almost faded into mist, settling into his human body.

And then it all stopped. A spike of emotional pain from his human self and the boy had pulled away. Phantom couldn't help but whine sadly. He knew the other Danny wanted to merge, to be complete. He knew Fenton wanted him and all the ghostly weirdness that would accompany re-fusing into the person they were meant to be. But to come so close only to be ripped apart again, it was painful.

But Phantom understood not re-fusing now. Mom and Dad could pose a serious problem if they didn't tell them the truth. They would most likely still be a problem. The ghost shivered, remembering Mom and Dad yelling and shooting at him. A tear welled as he imagined them calling him a monster tomorrow and pulling him away from his human half. He quickly wiped the tears away. He wasn't going to cry again today, damn it! They hadn't even told Mom and Dad yet. There was no guarantee they would act like that. They loved their son and would listen to him….or to the human half at least. And hopefully that would be enough.

* * *

Phantom could only pout for so long. Not even an hour later, he silently phased back into his and Fenton's bedroom. He grabbed their now fully charged cell phone, desperately needing a distraction. But before he could consider flying back up to the roof, his eyes fell over his sleeping human self. The ghost smiled subtly.

If everything went well with Mom and Dad in the morning, hopefully he would be sleeping there tomorrow night, as truly one with his human half. And from there, Danny could finally put all of this behind him. Fenton was correct; figuring out how to be one person (and half-ghost at that) would be difficult but necessary. And finally feeling complete would be worth it.

With one last sigh, the ghost floated to the roof, right below the Ops Center again. He unlocked the phone, intent to watch some videos and browse social media until Fenton woke up.

* * *

The house stayed quiet long into the morning. Getting in at 3 am, Mom and Dad slept in for once and the human Danny did the same. After their parents woke up and went back to the lab around 11, Phantom phased back into the bedroom. He smiled at finding his human sitting on the bed and rubbing his eyes, having just woke up.

Fenton blinked up at him and then smiled. His eyes fell on the phone in the ghost's hand. "So you grabbed our phone, I was wondering."

Phantom shrugged. "Yeah, I was bored. Should probably plug it back in." He hovered beside the bed, bending down to grab the cord and charge the phone. He then turned to his human. "So we're telling Mom and Dad about….this." He motioned vaguely between himself and the other Danny. "You wanna talk about the plan?"

"Yeah, we can do that." Fenton said while absent mindedly running his fingers through his hair. Then his nose wrinkled. "I should probably get a shower though. And get something to eat." He put his hand down on the bed. "Are you cool to hangout here while I do that?"

Phantom wrung his hands, nervousness returning. "Ummm...sure, I guess."

Fenton frowned, clearly picking up on the source of that emotion. "Mom and Dad are in the basement. They're not going to find you." He stood up, expression softening. "I'll be quick. I promise."

With that, the human Danny left his ghost half floating in their bedroom and stewing in anxiety.

About 10 minutes later, Phantom flickered invisible as the door opened but he quickly returned to visibility. It was just his other half.

With a slight cough, the human titled his head at the ghost who turned his attention back to the piles of clothes in his hands. "I was just nervously cleaning."

Fenton chuckled. "Fine with me. Mom's always getting on us to put our clothes away."

"Yeah. She is." remarked Phantom placing the t-shirts into the drawer.

"Can you toss me some clothes please?"

At that, Phantom finally noticed his human self was in just a towel. Much like the previous day, he blushed green, and after throwing some clothes in Fenton's general direction, hid in the closet.

Fenton gave a part amused, part disbelieving chuckle but made no comment. Soon he finished dressing in jeans and a t-shirt. After a quick trip downstairs for food, both Dannys took a seat on the bed.

The human spooned some yogurt into his mouth while Phantom texted Sam and Tucker. "I'm telling our friends that we're telling Mom and Dad today and want some back up."

Mouth full, Fenton nodded. Then Phantom's eyebrow raised as he noticed something on his human half's hands. He pointed. "What's that on your hand?" Swallowing, the other Danny held the appendage out. Before he could respond, his ghost half grabbed the hand with wide eyes. "Show me your other one." Phantom demanded.

After putting the cup down, Fenton showed the ghost the other hand. "It's fine-" He started.

Then Phantom cursed. "Damnit! I burned you last night, didn't I? Why didn't you say anything?!"

The human bit his lip. "Well...it healed before I came back and apologized last night so I didn't think anything of it."

"You didn't think anything of it?!" The ghost strained not to yell. "I hurt you." The other boy opened his mouth to reply. "And don't tell me it doesn't matter!" Phantom cut him off, the human's mouth snapping shut.

Fenton huffed. "I wasn't going to say that. It's just..." He ran a hand through his still damp hair. "It happened, yeah. But it healed in like an hour with no permanent damage. So there's no point in being upset. Or scared that my own ghost half is going to hurt me."

Something in the wording gave the ghost pause. "Ghost half?"

"Yeah." Human Danny shrugged. "You're my ghost half and I guess….I'm your human half."

Phantom half-smiled. "I like that." He'd thought that before, as he knew the other Danny had but actually hearing it out loud was nice. "And you have a point. You don't have to be scared of me."

The human's face fell but just then their phone buzzed, distracting the ghost from dwelling on his other half's reaction. Phantom picked up the device.

He frowned. "Well Sam's parents drug her into an impromptu shopping day and she can't get out of it."

Fenton grimaced. "We have Tucker at least, right?"

The phone buzzed again and the ghost's eyes widened in panic. "And Tucker's out. Apparently he woke up sick."

The human furiously shook his head. "But...but he was fine yesterday."

"I don't know, man. But he's sick now" Phantom gripped his hair.

The human took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. We'll have to wait then..."

"No" The ghost suddenly cut him off. "I don't want to keep hiding from them, afraid of how they might or might not react. We need to tell them. Today."

Fenton's eyes widened as he studied the other boy's face. His mouth opened and closed like he wanted to argue. Instead he quietly asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The ghost nodded. "I have to believe that we can make them understand. And….I still trust you. You won't let them hurt me."

"Yes I won't. And if they still don't believe us and capture you, we can get Sam and Tucker to come over and vouch for us tomorrow. I'll stay in the lab with you overnight if I have to."

The ghost shivered at the thought of being locked in a cage. But the thought of his human self being there for him in this gave him comfort. Phantom gave a half- smile. "Can you talk to Mom and Dad first, try and warm them up to the idea?"

"Yeah. What exactly am I supposed to say?" Fenton furrowed his brow.

"Just start with how the ghost catcher didn't work like everyone had wanted…and tell them that you didn't tell them everything when we told them about our powers earlier."

The human frowned. "Yeah I can do that. Then at some point you turn visible and we tell them everything."

Sighing, Phantom nervously ran his fingers through his hair. "And hope for the best I guess."

Fenton's own nervous expression left, morphing into a soft concern. He reached forward and hugged Phantom. "You're so brave."

Though he still felt Fenton's and his own nervousness, the ghost calmed at the assurance the human sent him. He returned the hug. "We're the same person so we're both brave."

"Ehhh, I think you got all the courage though." Fenton said with a hint of fondness.

"Or maybe you're braver than you think." Phantom suggested seriously, though he smiled at Fenton's emotion, offering the same fondness himself.

The ghost pulled away and studied his human again. As much as he wanted to get back to being just one person, there was something special about seeing his humanity like this, directly. Almost like a last glimpse at who they were before the accident, though that wasn't really true. Fenton wasn't the boy who walked into the portal. That Danny didn't exist anymore and the two of them would never be him again….and Fenton seemed to be okay with that, or was getting there at least.

Phantom picked up the yogurt container from the bed and handled it to Fenton. "You should go ahead and finish eating. Then we can talk to Mom and Dad."

With a nod, the human took a bite and swallowed, giving Phantom his attempt at an encouraging smile.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Phantom invisibly floated down the stairs trailing his human counterpart. His ghostly tail twitched nervously. With a silent groan, he tried to push down the tremor. It was going to be okay. He was going to be okay. The ghost looked forward, noticing the tension in the other Danny's shoulders.

They were going to be okay; he had to believe it.

Coming to the door to the lab, Fenton stopped and his ghost's eyes brow rose. The human took a deep breath, vigorously shaking his hands as if to dislodge the nervousness. He then turned around, fixing eyes on the invisible ghost. He put his hand forward and miraculously found Phantom's.

Though his hand still gently shook, Fenton rubbed his thumb across the back of Phantom's hand. He whispered. "No matter what, we stick together. Okay?"

The ghost nodded. Then quickly glancing around he saw they were alone. He wavered into visibility. "Yeah." Hand in hand, he felt the human's anxiety much more clearly. Phantom gave his attempt at a comforting smile. "Just remember Mom and Dad love you. They'll listen."

"They love you too." Fenton then looked down. "Even if they haven't realized it yet."

The ghost's expression fell, feeling a spike of hurt. Then Fenton obviously sensed the emotion as his eyes widened. "I'm sorry...I didn't..It's just." He sighed. "They'll love all of us. We just have to show them who you are."

Phantom nodded, understanding what his human self was trying to say despite his fear. Both their fear, really. "Thank you." He squeezed Fenton's hand and then let go. "Now let's stop stalling and talk to our parents."

Phantom wavered out of visibility again as Fenton turned around again. "Alright, Fenton. You've got this."

The ghost gave a light chuckle at his human's little self-encouragement but quited as the door to the lab opened. Fenton stepped through and walked down the stairs. Mom and Dad were both tinkering with a large, slightly glowing cage. Peering over his human's shoulder, the ghost swallowed.

Noticing the sound of footsteps, Dad put down his welding iron. He moved his goggles on to his forehead. "Danny boy!" He called excitedly. "Do you want to help your mom and I out, son?"

"No, thanks Dad." Fenton swallowed. "I...uhh….actually want to talk to you and Mom about something."

Mom put her goggles down. "What is it sweetie?"

Taking a deep breath, the human Danny walked forward until he was an arm's length from his parents with his ghost hovering right behind him. "It's about…. the ghost catcher."

Mom's eyes widened in concern. "Are you still showing the symptoms you told us about earlier?"

Phantom raised an eyebrow at that; what exactly had his human self told their parents?, he wondered. But he abandoned that thought as Fenton continued.

"Yes. And I know why I've been feeling off." The human said.

"You do, son?" Dad asked, brow furrowed in confused worry.

The boy wrung his hands. "Yeah. I think….no I know, the ghost catcher didn't work the way we thought it would."

"What do you mean?" Mom asked, worry on her face.

Fenton took another breath. Phantom couldn't see his face but from the set of his shoulders and his steadier voice, the ghost could imagine his determined look. "The ghost catcher was supposed to get rid of my ghost powers and….it kinda did that but not how we thought it would, at all."

Confusion appeared on Mom's face. "The ghost catcher got rid of your 'powers' because it got rid of that ghost overshadowing you."

"Yes son. That scum is gone and won't be bothering you again." Dad added.

Phantom tensed, the word, scum, pricking his heart. In front of him, Fenton also tensed, his shoulders falling. "That's not what happened."

"Yes it is sweetie." Mom's expression then softened as she seemed to realize something. "Are you still scared of the ghost, Danny? Is that why you wanted to talk to us?"

"No. I'm not….I'm not scared." Despite his words, his voice shook.

Mom put a gloved hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to be scared Danny. I promise, your father and I won't let that monster get you. It will never hurt you again."

At the words, Phantom's core clenched and he trembled.

Fenton's fists balled, ever so slightly. "He's not a monster."

"What?" Mom's mouth fell open slightly in surprise while behind her, Dad also looked confused.

"Phantom's not a monster. I'm not scared of him and he'd never, ever hurt me." Fenton spit out. Then he paled, realizing what he said.

"Phantom?" Dad asked, confusion morphing into something else that Phantom couldn't quite read (or maybe he didn't want to.)

"Uhhhh…..Ummm" The human Danny stuttered as Phantom, still invisible, floated back and away from the parents.

Dad's expression hardened as Mom's eyes widened in panic. "Danny. That ghost. Did you see it again? Did it come after you?"

_No, no, no this is bad._ Phantom mentally panicked.

"Ummmm….ummm...What?" Fenton opened and closed his mouth, eyes rooming anywhere but his parents' face.

Mom grabbed him by the shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "Danny. Did that ghost come after you again? You have to tell us if it did."

"No?" He glanced at Dad who was balling his fist.

"We won't let that ghostly scum ever touch you again son. I'll tear it apart if it tries." The man growled.

Ghost Danny floated back farther, unnecessary breath hitching in his throat. Images of Mom and Dad shooting him and strapping him to a table welled in his mind without his permission.

Growling deeply, Fenton shook himself out of his mother's grip. "No. That's….that's not what's happening here."

"But something is happening!" Mom admonished.

"You can tell us, son." Dad bent over, voice earnest. "We'll protect you. If we catch that abomination, we'll make it pay. We'll lock it up and destroy it so it never hurts you again."

Every word stung like a thousand needles, the sickly protective anger making Phantom tremble. His chest heaved with panicked breath. This….this wasn't going to work. His eyes fixed on the cage. They would find him and lock him up. They would destroy a part of their son, thinking they were saving him. Phantom's core pulsed, the temperature dropping with his influence. No No No.

Something in the lab beeped. "There is a ghost in five feet."

Shit

Everyone's eyes fixed on the Finder. Dad wiped it off the counter, bringing it in front of him and closer to Fenton. The beeping intensified.

His eyes narrowed. "There's a ghost in here." He took a step forward as human Danny stumbled back. More beeps. "And it's right behind you."

Mom grabbed his arm. "Get behind me. Now!"

The boy ripped his arm out of her grasp. "Shit. Shit." He stumbled, back towards Phantom.

"Danny! Come towards me." Mom shouted, voice wavering with panic. She grabbed an ectogun off the table as Dad did the same.

Shit, shit shit. The ghost mentally cursed. His invisibility flickered, momentarily forcing him into the visible spectrum.

"It's the scum that possessed Danny!" Dad shouted, hefting the gun higher.

"Danny, Get away from the ghost!" Mom waved with her free hand.

"No No No." Fenton joined his ghost in mentally panicking. "This isn't how this was supposed to happen."

"Just get away from the ghost, son, and everything will be fine." Dad said surprisingly calmy.

Phantom floated back farther until he hit the wall. With a yelp of surprise, he turned visible with his back pressed against the wall. Fenton backed up, towards his ghost as his parents advanced, faces tight with anger.

"Don't hurt him. Please!" The boy cried.

"Danny! It's a ghost!" Mom yelled.

"It deserves to be locked up, where it can't hurt anyone." Dad growled.

It. It. It. The words pounded into Phantom head. His eyes started watering.

"Mom! Dad! Just put the weapons down!" Fenton held up his hands.

"The weapons won't hurt you. But you need to get away from that monster." Mom hissed

"Just stop. Just listen. This is what we came down here to talk to you about." The boy begged.

Phantom pressed himself farther into the wall, knees shaking. They collapsed under him and he slid onto the floor.

"We? We?!" Mom asked.

Dad barreled forward. "Why have you been coming near my son, ghost?" He pointed the gun at Phantom's head. "You think it's funny to mess with my boy?!" Farther curling in on himself, Phantom whimpered in fear.

"Dad! Stop!" Fenton dashed in front, blocking the ghost with his body.

"Why are you defending it?!" The man hissed.

The word, it, pricked Phantom's heart again as tears started falling down his face. His human also cringed as the dehumanizing words burned.

"Stop calling me an it!" The human boy practically hissed in response. His eyes burned as Phantom saw a flash of what the human was seeing.

Mom's face flushed with fear. "Danny. Your eyes?!"

The green faded and Phantom's gaze was back on the floor. Fenton swallowed. "Please. Just listen. Phantom….Phantom's me."

"What?" Both parents' faces lit up with disbelief, their aim falling away in shock.

"Phantom, the ghost behind me, is literally me. We're the same person."

"Danny. That's…." Mom started.

"The ghost catcher literally ripped me in half." Fenton spit out.

"That's impossible. I don't know what this ghost's told you but…."

"Don't you think I know what happened to me?" Human Danny's eyes hardened.

"Son, you were overshadowed." Dad said, patiently still eyeing Phantom warrily.

"By a ghost that looks exactly like me? Really?" Fenton raised an eyebrow.

"It looks like a ghost, nothing like you. And even if it did, it could be a shapeshifter." Mom argued.

"Mom! Phantom looks just like me!" Fenton turned to Dad pleading. "Dad Please just look."

"Son-" He started, eyes filling with something like pity.

Phantom's core fell (Or maybe his-Fenton's- heart. Or was it both?). They didn't believe them. They didn't believe them. They thought Phantom had tricked his human half and was out to hurt him. Why couldn't they see? Why didn't they see? Why wouldn't they just look?

Tears fell down Phantom's face and Fenton's tears soon followed. The human sniffled, his eyes flickering green again as both human and ghost stared at their parents through Fenton's eyes. "Please. Just look at me." The two identical voices begged, Phantom whispering with his face directed towards the floor.

Mom and Dad fell silent, mouths open in shock. The image faded from Phantom's vision as the ghostly light left Fenton again. Feeling hopeless, the ghost curled in on himself, his knees and arms blocking his view of his parents. He couldn't bear to look anymore. If they were going to reject him, hate him, lock him up, and hurt him, he didn't want to see it. He just hoped they would stop before they accidentally hurt his human half so they could at least have their human son.

The silence lingered. Then he heard Dad's voice hitch in a gasp. Fabric shifted as something large and metal was placed on the floor. Heavy footsteps advanced towards him and he tensed. It was coming any second now.

"Danny." His father spoke right above him. "You can step aside."

"No." Phantom imagined his human self shook his head. "You'll...you'll..."

"Danny." Dad's voice came surprisingly soft. "I won't hurt you I promise."

Of course, of course. Dad would never hurt Fenton, the human Danny. Because he was human, their real son. But Phantom was a ghost, just scum to be shot and thrown away. Mom and Dad could never love a ghost.

"I promise Danny. I won't hurt you." Dad spoke again, even softer.

There was a pause and he heard Fenton's breath catch. Then Phantom heard footsteps echo as his human self moved away. If Phantom had a heart right then, it would have stopped. His human half abandoned him. Fenton said he wouldn't let Mom and Dad hurt him so why had he lied?

The ghost was tempted to look up but he couldn't, frozen in fear. Dad's heavy footsteps came closer and clothing rustled as the large man lowered himself to his knees. Phantom felt the heat radiating from him, so close.

"Look at me." The man said, voice flat.

Phantom shook, further burying his head in his arms.

"Come on. Look at me." Dad repeated.

Trembling, Phantom slowly lifted his head. This was it. This was it. Dad wanted to look in his eyes before he shot him, to see the eyes of the monster that had violated his son. One eye met the man's blue eyes, the same color as his human half's. Dad's expression remained neutral. Then both green eyes meet the father's.

The man's lips turned up. "There's my boy."

The ghost stared, not understanding. Then the man leaned forward. Strong arms wrapped around the ghost. Phantom's breath hitched and tensed. The pain would come any second now. The man would squeeze him, crush him with his large size. Only something so physical, so personal would be appropriate for the scum that infected his son. The arms tightened and Phantom closed his eyes.

No pain came. The arms rubbed his back and one came up to ruffle his hair as the boy let out a sob. The man let out a shushing noise. "It's okay. It's okay."

Why wasn't the hunter hurting him?

"It's okay. Daddy's here." The man whispered.

Phantom gaped, brow wrinkling in confusion. The man said...he said. A memory wavered into view.

_Four years old. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed across the sky. Danny whimpered under the table._

"_What are you doing there, buddy?" Dad bent down, head ducking under the table._

_Another crash and the little boy bit back a cry of fear. _

_His father gently pulled him out from under the furniture and picked him up. The man held him close to his chest. "It's okay. Daddy is here."_

Phantom - Danny - whimpered, tears running down his cheeks. His voice wavered between hope and fear. "Dad?"

Dad's voice trembled with a mix of emotions. "Yes. Yes, Danny."

The corner of the ghost's mouth turned up as his arms wrapped around his Dad. That was his name. Dad said his name and it was one of the most wonderful things he'd heard in days.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry son." The man slightly tightened his hold before pulling away. Phantom's eyes fell on his Dad's face again, who studied him back. Dad's eyes widened in kind curiosity, taking in the ghostly form of his son.

The sound of feet shifting broke the pair's gaze. Phantom's eyes met his human half's. After a pause, the boy nervously side-eyed the other adult in the room. Mom still held her ectogun, eyes wide with uncertainty.

She glanced at her husband. "Jack?" She questioned.

"Mads. It's him." Dad's voice faltered for a second, under the gravity of the statement. "They're telling the truth."

Despite the eyebrow still raised in disbelief, Mom slowly put down her gun. A few steps forward and she knelt beside Dad in front of Phantom. Her lips drew closed, in contemplation as the ghost silently begged for recognition and acceptance.

One hand slowly reached forward to gently cup Phantom's chin. Slowly her eyes widened, recognition dawning. Her voice quivered with disbelief. "Danny?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, Mom."

"Danny." She said again, with more certainty.

Mom leaned forward and soon Phantom was enveloped into another parental hug.

"Baby. You're...you're….I'm so sorry." She ruffled his hair as she sniffled, clearly getting upset.

As she started crying, Dad also joined the hug, his eyes glistening with tears. Phantom closed his eyes, crying himself. Despite the previous fear, he relaxed in the security and closeness. Maybe he should question their sincerity. But for now, they were hugging him gently but tightly. Like he was made of smoke and would disappear if they didn't hang on. Even if they didn't really understand what he was and how he was here, they called him Danny and believed he was. They held and comforted him, whispered and cried over him like there was no doubt he was their son. Like they actually could love a ghost like him.

After a few moments, the ghost opened his eyes. Looking over his parent's heads, he noticed his human half still shuffling awkwardly. He looked relieved but left out, like he wanted to join the hug but wasn't sure if he was allowed.

That was ridiculous. Raising an eyebrow, he silently asked Fenton to join. After a second, the human nodded, smiling at the acceptance. Walking around Mom's side, he went to his knees beside his ghost self.

Mom briefly opened her eyes and without missing a beat, shifted so her left arm was around Fenton and her right around Phantom. Dad remained at the side, blocked by the wall. His long arm just reached Fenton's shoulder.

Side by side with his human, Phantom shared his relief with his other half. Despite the still lingering questions and emotional hurt, love permeated the group. Both Dannys smiled through their tears. It was a strange, awkward embrace but it felt wonderful, fitting perfectly with the extraordinary situation.


	12. Chapter 12

Note: Hi! After two months, I'm finally back with a new chapter! I took April and May off from writing this story to write for the Phicc Phight and DannyMay, hence the break. If you're reading this, I hope you check out some of those stories and enjoyed them. But now, I'm back to focusing on Face to Face. Happy reading!

Danny Fenton sighed, enjoying the feeling of his mother's arm around him. With one hand, he gripped the back of Mom's jumpsuit. His other arm wrapped around his ghost, the comforting ghostly chill permeating and calming him as he shared his other self's incredible relief. The boy closed his eyes, happily; they got lucky. Their parents recognized Phantom as their Danny, their son. They would be okay.

After what felt like a small eternity, the parent's tears slowed. Mom pulled away first, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Dad released his grip a second later. The woman studied the human Danny. She blinked a few times, smiling before her gaze turned towards the other Danny. She blinked again and Fenton felt Phantom tense with him as her expression changed. Teary-eyed love turning into worried, almost fearful bewilderment. Her eyes widened, head turning quickly between the two boys. Out the corner of his eye, Fenton saw his dad's expression changing similarly. Both parent's mouths feel open.

"How are there two of you?" Dad blurted out.

Mom exclaimed at the same time. "How are you a ghost?"

A second later. "And how are you a ghost?" "And how are there two of you?"

The reactions would have been funny if not for the panicked confusion. Mom blinked again, a frown growing on her face while Dad gaped silently. "You're Danny." She pointed at the human. "And you're Danny." She motioned at the ghost, hand gently poking his shoulder as if to check that he was really there. "But you're a ghost."

Phantom tried not to flinch. "Uh...I'm...yeah." The ghost stuttered, biting his lip.

"But you're both Danny. But….how...what…" She waved between the two. "You can't be in two places at once. And you're a ghost."

At their normally steadfast mother's utterly perplexed reaction, anxiety rose. It trickled into the human from where Phantom's arm was still draped around Fenton's waist. The feeling silenced the human, choking any response while his ghost half stuttered. "Yes...well….we're… ummm… the portal …. and the ghost catcher… But…. we… ummm ….I don't…"

Dad's confusion laden words broken through the ramble. "What's happening, son? Or sons?" He glanced at his wife. "Do we have two sons now or…"

Another spike of anxiety, near panic. Two identical voices shouted. "No!"

The parents recoiled back, causing both Dannys to snap their mouth's shut.

After a moment, Mom put her hands in front of her, slightly stern voice barely covering her alarm. "Explain what's happening."

Fenton looked down, blushing in shame at the reaction. Mom and Dad were confused, of course they were. And that confusion was putting them on edge. He swallowed, looking at his still nervous ghost half, whose mouth was opening and closing, trying to form words but unable. Slowly, the human moved his arm from around Phantom's waist. He felt brief disappointment from the ghost before Fenton's hand found his gloved one. The human Danny squeezed and met his other half's eyes, silently saying he'd speak for them.

Fenton looked between his parents. "It's like I said earlier. The ghost catcher split me...us in half."

Somehow both parent's eyes widen more. "What does that mean?" Mom asked, brow raising in confusion.

Fenton motioned between himself and his ghost. "We're literally each half of the same person." This caused Mom and Dad to just blink at them confusedly. The human coughed and continued. "So Phantom's me. But a ghost." He waved up and down the ghost again. "He's my other half."

Dad looked between the two with wide eyes. He spoke, surprisingly quiet. "Like soul mates?"

Now it was Fenton's turn to sputter. "Umm...that's not….we're…"

Beside him, Phantom blushed green and shook his head. He swallowed, finding his voice. "No. More literal. We're….one soul, one consciousness but split in two."

Dad's brow furrowed. "But...there's two of you."

Fenton answered. "Not really. There's two….bodies." He frowned at the strangeness of the thought. "But we're just one person, one mind in two parts."

"That's...that's not possible." Mom put a hand on her head. "Someone cannot just be split in half."

Fenton bit his lip. "Well, the ghost catcher-"

Mom interrupted. "It was supposed to get rid of your symptoms. Your ghostly symptoms." She turned, staring at Phantom with wide eyes. "It was supposed to get rid of the ectoplasm. You….You just should be a ball of ectoplasm. Not...not…" She waved up and down the ghost's body.

"An actual sentient ghost." Phantom looked down guilty.

Dad shook his head, expression hardening slightly. "How are you a ghost?"

Fenton's stomach churned with guilt. They hadn't told Mom and Dad about what really happened, what the accident really did. He swallowed, preparing to confess before Phantom pulled his hand out of Fenton's grip. His ghost half wrung his hands, swallowing. "Before the ghost catcher, We...didn't tell you everything."

Mom crossed her arms, quickly looking between the human and the ghost as if she couldn't decide who to address. "What didn't you tell us?"

"That...that...we could...we were.." Phantom stuttered, the confession choking him too.

"Wait a second, what do you mean by we?" Dad rubbed his chin.

Mom turned toward him sharply. "Jack!"

"What? I'm still not getting how they're one Danny." The man tilted his head. "How could they both have talked to us, if we only talked to one Danny?"

Fenton shook his head, slightly relieved to be off the topic of lying to his parents. For a few moments at least. "But that was both of us." He explained. "The Danny before the ghost catcher. He was Phantom and me."

Dad's brow furrowed. "So you were being overshadowed….by your own ghost?"

At the word, overshadowed, Phantom's eyes widen, fear overcoming the lingering guilt. The emotion prickled Fenton's mind distinctly. Mom's expression darkened and the human Danny put an arm in front of his ghost half to shield him. "No. Not overshadowed." The boy's lip turned down and the words came out more harsh than he intended. "You're still thinking of us as two separate people. We're not. We're just one person, just Danny."

"But...how?" Dad looked mystified, still not understanding.

"We're-" Fenton started.

"Never mind that." Narrowing her hard eyes, the woman glared at the ghost version of her son. "What didn't you tell us?"

Fenton bit his lip, guilt returning. "Well, after coming out of the portal,-"

"No." Mom interrupted. "I want to hear it from..." She paused for a second, as if trying to find the right word. "Phantom."

On her lips, the name was skeptical and foreign. And Fenton couldn't tell whether she was unsure about calling her son that or….. If she was addressing Phantom as an untrustworthy stranger. It made Fenton's heart pound with nervousness.

That unease rose as the ghost's shoulder's fell. As Mom had insisted, he explained. "It wasn't just randomly turning invisible and intangible. There was...more."

"More?" She motioned him to continue, expression carefully neutral.

"It wasn't actually random. We could control it, if we tried." He nervously picked at the heam of his glove. "I definitely can now. And there was the floating and feeling cold and glowing eyes and…"

"Son, get to the point." Dad said.

Fenton swallowed, though it hadn't been his mouth speaking. At least, he was still calling Phantom son but once they learned the whole truth, how would they react?

The ghost swallowed. "We could….change."

"Change?" Mom's voice rose skeptically, the tone grading Fenton's heart.

"Change…. Change forms from…..from a human." He waved, motioning to Fenton. "Into...into...a...a"

"A ghost." Fenton took the plunge, waving up and down Phantom's form. "We could become a ghost. We're….I'm half ghost." He swallowed at the end, taking in the weight of the words. The truth, even now, and for the first time he was saying it in front of his parents.

Dad stared, in unblinking shock, while Mom's mouth opened and closed. After a very long moment, she spoke. "That's…..that's impossible. No one can be half ghost."

Ghost Danny frowned, wringing his hands. "But….we're right in front of you. What other explanation is there?"

"You're….you're not….you can't be…" The wavering words, they sounded too close to rejection, denial.

A pang of pain went through the human Danny's heart and he could feel it reflected in his ghost, who was shaking slightly. In response, Fenton put a gentle hand on Phantom's arm.

"Someone can't be a human and a ghost at the same time." Dad was shaking his head, eyes distant and far away.

"So you can't both be..you're not…." Mom rambled. "You can't be Danny."

Can't be….Oh no. Fear prickled through the pair. No Mom can't be in denial after...after…. Fenton's breath threatened to quicken but he clasped it down. They can't do this, couldn't panic now. Mom and Dad needed to see, to understand. The human glanced at his ghost who swallowed. An unspoken conversation passed in an instant, words unnecessary between two who were the same person, and a decision was made.

Stealing his courage, Phantom deliberately focused eyes on his mom. "You said I'm Danny. That I'm your son."

"But…." The woman's lip trembled.

"I'm your son. Your Danny." He pointed at his other self. "I'm just as much your Danny as he is and I always have been, since the accident."

Mom and Dad stared for a moment, expressions falling, before Fenton added. "It's true. I know this is new and strange but Phantom's just me, my ghost half."

Still silent, Mom's lips turn down sadly. Dad looked uncharacteristically somber.

Another spike of anxiety. Phantom's lip trembled. "Please. I'm your son."

The parents glanced at each other. Mom's expression softened and one of her hands reached for Phantom's. "Yes you are. Of course you are." She closed her eyes. "But...I still don't understand how this happened."

"Like we said, the ghost catcher-" Phantom started.

"No son." Dad put a hand on the ghost's shoulder. "The accident….You said, you could change back and forth before?"

"Yes." The ghost looked down, shoulders falling.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Mom's voice trembled.

Fenton tensed, dreading the question he'd known was coming. But Phantom spoke before he summoned his courage. "We...we….were...ummm." He bit his lip, the words dying in his throat at the sight of his mom's watery eyes.

The human Danny also bit his lip. He needed to say it. To confess. And it needed to be him, the human half. It was the human part that had been afraid, had wanted to hide the truth. He squeezed Phantom's hand, silently communicating that he'd confess, putting the pressure on him.

"We….I was scared. Ashamed. I didn't...didn't want you to see me like that." Fenton looked down, avoiding his parent's eyes.

"Danny." Dad whispered, probably trying to comfort them.

But the boy ignored it. He needed to finish. "I didn't want you to see me differently. You already thought I was….contaminated." Phantom flinched beside him. "I didn't want you to know what I'd become. That I was a-" A surge of panicked fear poured from his ghost, causing Human Danny to cut himself off. Monster, abomination, scum. He...he didn't think those things anymore. He didn't. But Mom and Dad? He shivered; he didn't need to remind them what they thought of ghosts. He took a breath. "I didn't want you to worry more than you already were. And if you saw how serious it was, what the portal really did?" He stopped, letting them fill in the blanks.

Mom's eyes narrowed, though her lip still trembled. "How are we supposed to help you, to cure you if we don't know the whole picture?"

Cure. More fear as Phantom flickered invisible. "You...you can't…"

"We can't fix this if you don't tell us everything!" Mom trembled.

"You can't fix us period." Fenton clenched his fist. No please. He shook his head, hoping and praying Mom wasn't thinking of ways to make them fully human.

"I'm sure we could-" Dad started.

"No. I don't want you to fix us." Fenton interrupted, a false anger barely covering his fear.

"But-"

"You can't fix death." As soon as the words left Fenton's mouth, the parent's eyes widened tearfully. Mom's lip trembled and Dad's shoulder's fell, heartbroken. Maybe he shouldn't say it, shouldn't be so direct. But the time for secrets was over. They needed to see. ""I...I died, in the portal."

"No. It couldn't…" A tear leaked from Mom's eyes.

The human could hardly believe he was forcing the words from his mouth. "It did. It killed me. And that's….that's why ghost me exists. You have to die to become a ghost. And Phantom's that part of me."

A hand covered Mom's mouth. "No. No. The portal. It couldn't."

The woman looked heartbroken but human Danny could not find the strength to respond. His heart felt heavy.

"I'm sorry." But an echoing voice answered for him. "I'm sorry I died."

The human looked down, feeling the statement keenly. He was sorry that he'd disobeyed his parents and put himself in danger by going into the portal. He was sorry that his parents had to find out what the accident actually did, like this.

"No." Mom shook her head, a tear breaking free from her eye.

Dad was shaking. "No. Danny. No. We...we did this. We did this to you. Our portal it...it...And then the ghost catcher."

"We...we….Danny." Mom almost sobbed. "We messed up. Oh god. We….we killed you."

"Mom. It's okay." Fenton tried mildly.

"No it's not! Our portal. And Oh god. We killed you. What have we done?" Tears fell down Mom's cheeks.

"No Mom. We're okay." Phantom's eyes widened. "I mean, I'm a ghost. But we're still half human. And…"

"No." Fenton blinked and Mom was pushing herself to her feet, backing away. "You died Danny! You died and we...we didn't notice."

Phantom floated to his feet. "No, Mom. It's….we didn't realize either. Not until days after the split."

"The split?" She trembled, eyes widening. "Oh god. We split you in half." Her gaze flickered between the two Dannys. "We...we were trying to help you but...but...Oh god…..we screwed up. We screwed up. We…" The woman was panicked, uncharacteristically near hysterical.

Fenton frowned, hopping to his feet and holding his hands out placatingly. "Mom. I asked for this, for you and Dad to cure me. No one could have guessed this would happen."

His ghost half agreed. "You didn't mean for this to happen." He glanced at Fenton. "We didn't either. But it's going to be okay."

"No it's not." Mom cried, her gaze fixing on Phantom. "I...I shot you. I could have destroyed you. And the ghost catcher….the portal. What have I done? What have I done?"

The woman looked like she was breaking and it honestly terrified Fenton, watching her cry. He stepped forward at the same time as his ghost self. Instincts screamed to calm the reaction, to comfort her.

Mom stumbled back before either Danny could hug her. Fenton's expression fell. "Mom?"

"I...I can't. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Danny." She stepped back again before practically running up the stairs.

"Mom!" Fenton stepped forward, meaning to go after her but Phantom's arm appeared around his shoulder. Instantly fearful dread entered him, clashing with the drive to make sure Mom was okay. Both boys stilled, unable to move.

Seconds later, the sound of footsteps sounded from behind them. Oh, of course. Dad. All the while, he'd been uncharacteristically silent. Why was he not saying anything?

The man stood in front of both versions of his son, eyes watering. He glanced at Phantom's abdomen. "Are you….where you were shot…..is it okay?"

The ghost nodded. "Yeah Dad. It wasn't that bad."

Fenton agreed. "We checked it yesterday, already almost healed." Though they'd forgotten about it this morning, that was almost certainly true as the burn on his own abdomen had stopped hurting.

Dad fixed his eyes on the floor, guilty. "That's good." He looked towards the stairs, where his wife had fled, before glancing back at Fenton and Phantom. "I….I'm sorry, son. Your mother…."

The man glanced back again, deep worry maring his face. Fenton's eyebrow rose and he could practically see the decision warring in the man's mind- comfort his son or comfort his wife. In response, Fenton's mind wared too (Though beside his other half, the ghost's emotions perforated him; was he alone debating? Was Phantom having the same debate? Were they debating as one? What would the whole Danny do?). Part of him wanted to be comforted, like he was a still little child in need of his parent's approval. Part wanted to be left to worry alone.

The ghosts fixed eyes on his other half and the two came to a decision. Fenton swallowed. "It's okay, Dad. We'll….we'll be okay."

Dad's expression softened and he walked forward, putting one arm around each Danny. He squeezed. "I love you, Danny. Human or ghost, you're my son."

Fenton enjoyed the hug, heart sinking as he buried his face in his father's shoulder and tried not to cry. "I love you too Dad." Two voices -the same voice twice- said at the same time.

After a moment, Dad stepped back, smiling sadly. "I'll talk to your mother about….all of this."

Still teary eyes, looking unbalanced, Dad walked up the stairs, leaving Fenton and Phantom alone together.

* * *

Both Dannys remained frozen staring at the stairs where their parents left. Fenton's hands clenched and unclenched uselessly. He felt numb, his mind running in circles. What...what just happened? Why...why did he say that? Why did he tell them everything so directly, at once? He'd just directly told Mom and Dad he'd died, when he'd been almost unable to think about that last night. How could he do that?

After some time, the air beside him shifted, the cold wafting over him comfortingly. "We didn't even tell them about refusing." Phantom whispered, forlorn.

Yes, merging into the Danny they were supposed to be, that was why they agreed to talk to their parents in the first place. Guilt, the same guilt from last night reappeared, breaking the human's heart. And Fenton was the reason they were in this situation, split, in the first place.

Movement at the edge of his vision broke through Fenton's thoughts. He glanced over in time to see Phantom turning around and landing on the floor. The ghost sighed and at the same time, Fenton turned. He watched Phantom slowly walk towards the end of the room, soft neon green light falling on his face. It was then Fenton finally noticed the portal. It hummed almost imperceptibly, the sound vibrating through the floor, through his body. The sound flowed through the air, swirling and pulsing. Goosebumps rose on Fenton's skin. That sound, it was almost….

Phantom stopped, a foot from the tunnel. Sighing, he studied the swirling ectoplasm with a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he spoke. "So, this...this is what did it."

Fenton swallowed, walking forward before he realized what he was doing. He stopped across from Phantom, the ghost holding his hand out towards the green mist. It curled around his fingers, almost caressing them as if the portal sensed him.

Phantom looked up, meeting his human self's eyes. "This is what made us like this, half ghost."

Fenton said nothing, just humming in response. Looking towards the portal, he moved his hand, mirroring his ghost's posture. The mist weakly reached towards his fingers. The human shivered.

"Do you regret it?" Fenton looked back up, finding Phantom frowning at him. "Do you regret going into the portal?"

The portal. Memories of pain flashed through his mind. The portal, it killed him, made him half ghost. Just days ago he would have said yes but now….Fenton closed his eyes feeling the humming again. Contradictory, it scared him, his pounding heart screaming to get away. But it also...called to part of him, something small and new but immensely important. It was almost comforting like….a song.

Sighing, he looked at Phantom. "I don't know." The ghost's thoughtful expression fell even so slightly. "Do you regret going into the portal?"

Phantom's eyes widened slightly. "I...I don't know either. On one hand." He shivered. "It hurt a lot, dying. But….I can fly now."

Yes, flying. The human Danny's eyes widened, a mixture of nervousness and excitement bubbling in his gut. An image flashed through his mind. Before the ghost catcher. Suddenly turning into a ghost. The uncontrollable weightless. The lack of control. Rapidly hitting the ceiling before crashing onto the floor. Feeling like a freak. He'd been too afraid to actually try to control the floating, much less fly. But now, he'd dreamed of flying, through his ghost's eyes. He'd felt the freedom, the carefreeness, the bliss that came with flying.

He looked at Phantom, who was floating again and tilted his head. With how often the ghost was floating, flying must just be something natural to his ghost self. But he himself right now was frightened by the idea. It really didn't make any sense. But….maybe he could get over that fear like he was working past the fear of being a ghost.

"You know, I've never actually flown." Fenton remarked. "We were too scared before the ghost catcher….or maybe that was just me, the human part."

"Not just you." Phantom shook his head. "Flying scares me too but...the freedom makes it worth it." The statement lifted the human's spirits; the cowardice wasn't just him. He hummed in agreement and the ghost's lips turned up in a smile. "And technically, since I flew you home yesterday…."

"Oh yeah. I dreamed that happened." He pointed somewhat sassily. "It doesn't count if I was unconscious."

"I'll wake you up next time then." Phantom grinned almost wickedly.

The human shivered, as he imagined waking up dozens of feet above the ground. "I'll take a rain check on that. But…" He smiled kindly. "Once this is all over, I look forward to trying the flying thing again."

Phantom smiled before his face fell again. He glanced towards the stairs. "Mom and Dad know now. About….everything."

Fenton tensed. That had started to slip his mind in their conversation. But Mom and Dad did know, about his ghost half, about how he died in the accident, how he lied and hid the truth, how they chased and shot Phantom. What would they do now? What would happen?

His stomach churned nervously. "Mom...didn't react well."

Mom had run off. She was guilty, panicking. She never panicked. Even when he woke up in the hospital after the accident, she'd been relieved but strong, put together. But now….

Phantom wrung his hands. "We should….just give her some time to think about stuff." The words brought neither Danny much comfort. "She'll..she'll come around. She has to."

"Yeah, It'll….it'll be okay. They...they'll accept us, all of us. They have to." Fear prickled but it was true, right? Mom and Dad loved their son, human or ghost. And they'd understand. They had too.


	13. Chapter 13

Eventually the silence of the lab grew stale and more restricting as Fenton watched the swirl of the portal, dread balling in his gut.

"Do you wanna go upstairs? We have homework to work on." Phantom suggested, breaking the silence.

Homework? How was he supposed to work on homework at a time like this? But what else could he do but wait and give his parents time to talk? Wordlessly, Fenton nodded.

Giving his human a kind smile, Phantom floated up the stairs with Fenton trailing after. They entered the kitchen and crossed the living room, passing the hallways that led to their parent's bedroom. Frantically hushed voices drifted through the hall. He couldn't make out words but….the tone, the tension, it sent shivers up the human's spine.

Phantom paused, face marred with almost fearful anxiety. Fenton knew what he was worrying about. How could he not when Phantom was him? Those were his own fears. He wanted to comfort the ghost but couldn't.

Instead, Fenton grabbed his ghost's elbow. "Come on. That homework isn't going to do itself."

Phantom let himself be moved and the two returned to the bedroom. With an annoyed groan, Fenton lifted his bookbag onto the bed. "So there's the math packet, an essay for English, and vocab for Biology." He pulled the books out of the bag. "Do you want to divide it up?"

The ghost floated into a sitting position, hovering over the bed. "Sure. I'll take the math and bio. You can do the essay."

"The essay. Really?" Fenton complained. "I'd rather do anything else."

Phantom crossed his arms, raising one brow. "Neither of us want to do any of this. And we're the same person. So why does it matter who does what?"

The human Danny sighed. "You have a point." With that he grabbed the book Lancer had assigned and some paper. After taking a seat at the desk, the human started on the paper while his ghost plopped on the bed with the math textbook.

* * *

Dividing the work wasn't the best idea to get the homework done faster. Fenton couldn't focus on the question Mr. Lancer assigned him to answer. He'd read the book, he had and understood it pretty well. He even thought it wasn't that bad, bleak and not very exciting but it had some interesting concepts. But he couldn't seem to form any coherent thoughts long enough to explain them on paper.

And he wasn't sure whether the lack of focus was from worrying about Mom and Dad's reactions or the general spaciness he'd had since going through the ghost catcher. Probably a bit of both.

"I hate math." Phantom's annoyed muttering cut through Fenton's unproductive thoughts. "I can't even figure out where to start." The ghost waved his hands around his head before putting a hand on his forehead. "My head's just….swimming."

Fenton raised a brow. So it wasn't just him. He stood up from the chair and stretched. "Why don't I take a look?"

The ghost blinked up at him before shrugging. "Sure. Why not?"

His human half flopped onto the bed and looked over the paper with a frown. He pointed. "I think...you have to cross multiply first for this one." He picked up the pencil and started jotting down the numbers. He stuck out his tongue in thought. "Then you…"

"Subtract from both sides." Phantom continued.

"Right." Fenton scribbled down the work. "And then you divide each side by 4."

The ghost nodded. "That leaves X squared equals 25. So you…."

"Take the square root of both sides." Both Dannys said at the same time, eyes lighting up with realization as Fenton wrote the answer.

His ghost half frowned down at the paper. "That was...actually really easy. Easier than normal."

Human Danny grinned. "You know what they say, two heads are better than one."

"Oh har, har. Two heads." Phantom's amused chiding ended as his eyes widened. "Two heads...Are we like smarter now, 'cause...you know?"

Fenton wrinkled his nose. "I don't think so?"

"But that was a lot easier than normal. And how did you know something that I didn't?" Ghost Danny questioned.

"Well, we went over a problem like that in class on Friday. And you weren't there, obviously." He blushed when the ghost narrowed his eyes at him. "I maybe should have said that when we were dividing up the work."

"Yay think?" Phantom crossed his arms. "Do you want to switch assignments?"

The human shook his head. "How about we talk through the math together instead?"

Phantom's eyes softened. "Yeah. It was easier to work on it together. We can talk through the essay after."

Fenton sighed. "Don't remind me. I still have to finish that stupid paper."

The ghost rolled his eyes but said nothing through his mock annoyed but fond smile. Instead he pointed at the next problem and they got started.

* * *

The homework went much faster after that, even the dreaded essay. The human Danny should have figured that though. As he'd been seeing, things were better if he worked with his ghost half, instead of against him, or even just independently. That was not the only consideration either. Talking through the work seemed to do wonders as the two halves conducted a verbal tennis match and built ideas through the conversation. There was a lot of quick typing and cutting and pasting as they built the paper.

"We should keep doing this, after we re-fuse." Phantom commented, earning a raised eyebrow from his human half.

"How exactly are we supposed to be in two places at once? Do we have some cool duplication power you haven't said anything about yet?" Fenton said, only somewhat sarcastically.

Ghost Danny rolled his eyes. "I don't mean like that. I mean...talking through the homework out loud. Instead of trying to fit everything in our head." He pointed at his own white haired head.

"Okay. That's a good idea." Fenton conceded.

And it was. They weren't smarter, didn't magically know more because there were two of him. But talking through everything made Fenton feel smarter, made him realize things he wouldn't have if the thought just stayed clashing against each other and unspoken in his head.

The math, biology, and essay done, Fenton hit save on the word document before emailing it to himself to print at school tomorrow. He leaned back in the desk chair, feeling satisfied; not even 6 yet and he was done.

He grinned at his other half. "So do you wanna watch a movie or…?"

He never finished the question as Jazz's voice echoed in the hallway. "Danny, do you know what's up with Mom and Dad? They're acting really….weird." At the last word, she swung the door open, bursting into the room before either Danny could say anything. "Danny?" Slightly fearful, wide eyes flitted between the human and ghost for an instant before rolling back in her head and she fainted.

* * *

"Jazz!" Two voices yelled in alarm.

In a flash, Phantom phased through the bed and flew to Jazz's side. He caught her before she hit the ground. His eyes widened in shock. "Shoot. We didn't even think about Jazz."

With the worries of telling their parents, Jazz had completely slipped his mind, especially since she never seemed to be home. From his human half's worried expression, the ghost could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Fenton, who'd shot up from his chair panickedly when Jazz burst into the room, bit his lip. "I guess...we'll talk to her after she wakes up then."

Phantom nodded. "Let's take her to her room then."

The ghost carried the girl across the hallway, to her room with his human following after. He laid her on the bed. Fenton pulled her desk chair to the side of the bed while Phantom floated nervously on the other side. The human put his head in his hands. "I can't believe she fainted."

Phantom chose not to comment, instead studying Jazz with a worried expression. She'd fainted, as soon as she saw him. Was it the shock of seeing a ghost? Or had she realized who he actually was and was shocked at seeing two of her brother? He frowned; it was probably the first option. Great, did that mean his own sister was afraid of him? And another thing…

Worry knotted his gut. He looked up, meeting his human half's eyes. "She said Mom and Dad were acting weird. Do you think…." He trailed off, fears resurfaced. He'd grown almost pleasantly distracted working with his human self on the homework. He bit his lip. "Do you think Mom's still upset?"

Her shocked, tear stained face flashed in his memory. Seeing her that upset shook him. Was she just upset because of what she did in ignorance? Making the portal and the ghost catcher. Calling him names, chasing him, shooting him. Part of him wanted to be angry about that and knew he had a right to be but….mostly it just hurt.

And Mom had been so angry when she learned that they'd lied to her before the ghost catcher. Even Dad had suggested….Phantom shivered...fixing them. He swallowed. It was ridiculous; they called him son, their Danny. But what if they thought they were wrong? "What...what if they still reject me?" He whispered.

Fenton's eyes turned hard as he shook his head. "No. They...they can't...they won't after I finally...I just started…." His shoulders tensed. "If...if they won't accept my ghost half, then...they lose their son completely."

Phantom's lips turned down. "But they'll still love you. You're human."

"If they wouldn't love all of us, human and ghost, I don't want half hearted, conditional love." The ghost could almost feel his human's heart (his heart) breaking at the thought. "I'm not their son, not Danny without you. So if they won't have you, then they won't have me."

Ghost Danny's core pulsed sadly, his mouth opening and closing but he couldn't think of a response. On one hand, they didn't even know what Mom and Dad were thinking. Maybe they would accept them and they'd be able to re-fuse soon. But….Fear subtly perforated. Fear of being rejected even after Mom and Dad called Phantom their son. And if they do accept, Fear of their parents seeing him, them differently now- inhuman, subhuman, diseased. Would they see him, the ghost half, as a disability? Something, if not to be cured, to be controlled and suppressed.

Human Danny put his head in his hands. "Why didn't I just tell them about being half ghost before? Why did I even split us? None of this would have happened if I hadn't done that."

Phantom's head whipped up, a spike of guilt wafting off of the human. Was Fenton really still so guilty about that after last night? He frowned at the emotion before trying to comfort him. "It wasn't only-"

"Danny!" Jazz suddenly sitting up cut off the statement. She looked between the two, before paling and pointing at Phantom. "You're….you're a..a ghost."

Phantom blinked, disbelievingly. He wasn't sure whether he should be disappointed or annoyed. So he opted for an appropriate little brother-ish middle. Putting his hands forward as if they were claws, he kept his expression neutral, unimpressed. "Boo."

Jazz's eyes widened comically and just like that, the tense air in the room broke as Fenton snickered. "You got it in one."

"But...but...ghosts are real?" Jazz stuttered.

"You literally saw me use ghost powers before the ghost catcher." Fenton quipped flatly.

"That was ectoplasmic contamination." The girl crossed her arms, matter of factly.

"That was me." Phantom said, raising his hand; he was the ghost powers after all.

Their sister's expression hardened. "You're the ghost, Mom and Dad were ranting about overshadowing Danny." Her eyes narrowed before widening in confusion a second later. "Why do you look like Danny?"

Phantom tilted his head, addressing his other half. "How did she pick up on that in like ten seconds when it took Mom and Dad like ten minutes of interrogating me?" Maybe interrogating wasn't really the right word, but he didn't really feel like telling Jazz about Mom and Dad yelling and pointing a gun at him, not yet anyway.

"Mom and Dad know about you! How are you not in a cage?" Phantom shuddered, trying to not think about that. "Wait...who even are you? Why were you possessing my brother?"

"Jazz, hold up." Fenton interrupted, putting his hands in a time-out position. "There was no overshadowing. He's me."

Jazz blinked, jaw falling open but she said nothing.

The human Danny continued. "Danny Fenton." He pointed to himself. "Danny Phantom." He pointed to the ghost who waved with a small grin.

After a second, Jazz turned towards the ghost. "Danny?" She questioned, voice raising in disbelief.

"Hi Jazz." Phantom replied.

"Danny. You're Danny. But." She turned her head to face his human half. "You're Danny."

The ghost's smile fell, the words reminding him eerily of what Mom had said. But the other Danny continued undaunted. "Yeah. We're both Danny." He motioned between himself and his ghost. "We're literally the same person."

"But….how?" Jazz questioned, her voice not skeptical but confused, curious. A welcomed change from Mom and Dad's more skeptical attitude.

"The ghost catcher." Fenton said.

Jazz raised a brow, eagerly. "Tell me everything."

* * *

It was surprisingly easy to tell Jazz about the ghost catcher and how Fenton and Phantom realized they were two halves of one whole Danny, barring some of the more emotional details about Danny accepting his ghost powers.

Jazz rested her hand on her chin. "You were one person, my brother Danny. But the ghost catcher split you into two different people."

"No! Yes!" Fenton exclaimed at the same time, Phantom. "Yes! No!"

Then both at once. "It's complicated."

Jazz's eyes widened at the dual speech as Phantom put a hand through his hair. "It's like...we're not really one person."

"But we're not two people either." Fenton continued. "We're...connected. But there's... gaps where there shouldn't be."

The girl tapped her head. "Two different perspectives. Different personalities?" She frowned, seemingly musing to herself. "Some kind of dissociative identity disorder?"

"Ummm I don't think-" Phantom started.

"Alters can't normally communicate directly. Were you having black outs before?" Their sister tilted her head.

"Jazz, I don't think psychology can explain this." Fenton said. "It happened artificially."

"Yeah. Even if it hadn't, I don't think modern human psychology could help." Phantom motioned to himself. "We're not even human."

"At least not completely." Fenton added, though he looked slightly flustered with the statement.

Jazz blinked, her expression turning troubled. "Not….human? But…" She trailed off, now staring at Phantom who blushed, uncomfortable with the attention. The girl frowned. "You're a ghost...that..that means….you…"

She couldn't finish the statement but from the tension in her shoulders, the turn of her lips, the tear collecting in the corner of her eye, he knew it had finally hit her.

"Yeah." Fenton replied, looking at Phantom kindly but sadly. "I….well you know how someone becomes a ghost."

Death. His death. It always came back to that, didn't it? In some ways, that knowledge was more painful than that he was a ghost, because he'd had no choice but to acknowledge that after coming out of the ghost catcher, but dying…..was that something he'd ever get over? Should he even get over that?

Jazz's lip trembled. "Danny...you." She quickly looked between the two. "I...I...I don't even know how to process that. The portal….Mom and Dad's stupid invention. It really…..And then they… And there's two of you now." She sniffled, blinking at Phantom. "They...they were ranting about how they shot you. Are you okay?"

The sudden question startled the ghost. "Yeah. The burn wasn't that bad, already healed."

She shook her head. "No, not that. Well, that as well. But with everything. The accident, splitting, Mom and Dad. Are both of you...or... all of you okay?"

How to answer that… the two Dannys glanced at each other. "Ummmm." Phantom bit his lip.

"Of course not." Jazz kept rambling. "Of course you're not okay. I can't even imagine how confusing this is. And...dy...dying...turning into a ghost. That's…..And then this."

The ghost took a breath, finally deciding to cut into her rant. "It's….a lot but…" He met his human half's blue eyes. "We're working through it."

"That's good. Being able to talk to yourself like this…." A complicated expression crossed her face, fearful concern with a tiny dash of scientific curiosity. Once she calmed down, she'd definitely interrogate them about what being split was like mentally. As annoying as the prospect was, Phantom couldn't really blame her; the psychology loving part of her must be having a conniption.

But the sisterly concern was winning out right now. After a moment, she leaned forward and put one arm around each Danny so they were in a three person group hug. "I love you, little brother."

"Love you, too." Both boys muttered.

She pulled away, before taking Phantom's hands and studying him, her expression teary eyed but kind. "Danny I…..I want you to know….you're not any lesser because of what you are."

The ghost blinked, startled by the sudden change in topic. "What?"

"Something you said earlier. And….I know how you think."

"Because you like to study me with your psychology." He quipped, part legitimately annoyed, part sarcastic.

She rolled her eyes. "Because I'm your sister."

That immediately drained the annoyance as he became serious. She was his sister; though they weren't as close now as they'd been when they were little, she did know him. In some ways, different ways better than Sam and Tucker. His lips turned down. "Yeah."

Jazz frowned. "It's just….I know what Mom and Dad say about ghosts, but they're clearly wrong."

Phantom nodded, feeling relieved. He already knew that intimately; he could think and feel just like he had as a full human before the accident. He'd heard it from his friends and even his other self. But hearing that from his sister was like a breath of fresh air.

She leaned forward and pulled him into another hug. "You're still you. And that's what matters."

He relaxed into the hug. It felt...special, important. A hug meant specifically for her brother's ghost half. Saying that she wanted to understand and accept that part of him. "Thanks Jazz."

He meant it completely. As nosy and annoying as she could be, Jazz was also understanding and compassionate. A good sister. Someone he could rely on; maybe he should have earlier.

Ghost Danny pulled away after a moment, smiling at his sister softly as she smiled back. They stayed like that for a few moments until Jazz turned towards the other Danny. "That was for you too. I...don't really understand this. But you're my brother no matter what or who you are."

The human half-smiled. "Really Jazz? Admitting you don't understand something?"

She scoffed. "I'm not too proud to admit what's going on here is far beyond anything I have experience with. I didn't even believe in ghosts until thirty minutes ago."

Phantom raised an eyebrow, amused. "But you boo-lieve in me now?"

Fenton snorted. "I think it ghosts without saying."

"Oh stop it." Jazz waved a hand.

"Come on. These puns are ghoul-den." The ghost grinned, white teeth sparkling.

"Positively spooktacular." His human finished and both laughed.

Jazz rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hide her smile. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

"Hopefully you won't have to." Fenton said.

"Oh you're going to give up the puns then?" Jazz raised a brow.

"Never." The human quipped somewhat jokingly before his smile fell into something more neutral. "I mean, hopefully you won't have to get used to there being two of me."

Phantom nodded. "Yeah. We need to go back to really being one person."

Their sister's eyes widened as she glanced between the two, with a thoughtful expression on her face. "I guess you do." She rubbed her head. "That's a strange idea."

"Tell me about it." Fenton sighed.

"Everything about this is strange." His ghost shook his head. "And I don't think we really get it either. I mean, between being human and ghost at the same time.

"And somehow being split…." His other half trailed off, frowning.

Jazz smiled, comfortingly. "You'll figure it out."

"Yeah" Phantom agreed; they were figuring this out and had come a long way since going through the ghost catcher but there was still a ways to go. His parents' faces, confused and heartbroken, flashed through the ghost's mind. He bit his lip. "But...What about Mom and Dad?"

Fenton mirrored his nervous expression. "They didn't….take it well when we told them earlier….You said they were still acting weird, Jazz?"

The girl frowned thoughtfully. "They were talking in the kitchen when I came in. Quiet, too quiet. And both of them looked….devastated. They both stopped when they saw me come in. Like they didn't want me to hear."

"Oh." Phantom's shoulders fell; a mixture of grief and guilt churned in his stomach. Mom and Dad were that upset because of him.

"Did you hear any of what they were saying?" Fenton asked.

"Sorry, I didn't." Jazz shook her head.

"Do you think…." The human Danny sighed, pausing a moment and when he spoke, the words surprised Phantom. "I'm scared, Jazz. What if they don't accept me after this?"

Jazz's expression fell. "Danny." She said kindly.

"It's just….I just started trying to accept my ghost half." He glanced at said ghost half. "I...I don't know what I'll do if Mom and Dad can't accept him."

"They will." Jazz tried to comfort, addressing Phantom. "You said when you told them, they hugged you and called you their son."

The ghost put a hand through his hair. "But they also really struggled to get that Fenton and I are the same person. So I don't know what to make of that."

"Well, that is a hard concept to understand. I'm sure-"

Phantom cut her off. "But what if they change their minds or think I was tricking them."

"They won't." Jazz started.

"Or what if they try to fix us again?" Ghost Danny wrung his hands, eyes widening.

"Danny!" Jazz put a hand on his arm. "Mom and Dad will not try to do that. I am sure they believe you. They love you."

"Okay." The ghost quietly said looking down. She did have a point; with how Mom and Dad reacted, they wouldn't hurt him on purpose. They did seem to see him as their Danny even if he was unsure how much they understood. But...but….even if they believe him, acknowledge him as their son...

"Even if they believe us, they still might not accept us." And just like that Fenton voiced their fear. "They can't make us completely human and hopefully they'll accept that but.."

"What if they try to control or suppress our powers….me?" Phantom shivered, imagining being merged with his human half. Half ghost and half human again but locked in his human form, without access to his powers. Unable to turn invisible or intangible or summon ectoenergy. His stomach dropped. He'd be unable to fly. "What if they force us to be... normal?"

Phantom's core panged at the word, normal. Before the ghost catcher, that's the last thing the whole Danny had wanted. That's what Phantom had thought his human self had wanted, what he'd tried to give him by remaining apart. To think, he was afraid that Mom and Dad would try to force that normality on him now that he no longer wanted it, was ironic. He glanced up at his human half who was looking at him oddly and guilt wobbled the ghost's insides. But was that, normality, something he, a part of him, actually wanted?

Across from the ghost, Fenton clinched and unclinched his hands. "What if they don't let us merge?"

Phantom's eyes bulged. And that was the kicker, right there. Being stuck as two halves instead of one whole. Always feeling incomplete. Fenton without his powers, the cold energy of his core. Phantom without the comforting beat of his heart, the solidity and warmth of his human body.

"They...they wouldn't." The ghost stuttered.

But their parents might, if they don't really understand what Fenton and Phantom were and what they're supposed to be. Which they very well might not.

"Danny. It's okay." Jazz grabbed human Danny's hand with her left hand, and ghost Danny's with her right. "You don't know what Mom and Dad are thinking so there's no point in worrying about this until you actually talk to them."

"But… they're both upset." Fenton frowned.

"Of course they are. They learned that their portal killed you and that they did more damage trying to help. They feel guilty and they should." Jazz's face hardened slightly.

"But Jazz… the portal and ghost catcher were my fault." The human Danny's shoulder's fell and Phantom visibly shivered from the guilt radiating off of him. "It's my fault we split."

Jazz shook her head. "You didn't know this would happen! And the portal." Her eyebrows drew together. "Mom and Dad should have known how dangerous having that in our house is."

"But-" Fenton cut in again.

"Nope. Not going to hear it. You don't need to blame yourself for any of this." She crossed her arms.

"Ok." Fenton replied meekly.

Phantom watched as his human self nodded his head, seemingly in agreement, but the guilt on his face was plain and obvious to his other half. The ghost bit his lip, debating whether he should speak but Jazz patting both of them on the back, seemingly satisfied with the response, stopped any reply.

"And whatever happens with Mom and Dad, I'll stand by you. Do you want to go talk to them now?"

The two Dannys looked between each other, making a decision before Phantom spoke for them. "No….. I think we should wait."

"Are you sure?" Jazz raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Fenton nodded. "We can give them tonight to think about things and talk tomorrow."

"Alright." Their sister frowned seriously before pointing at the ghost and then the human version of her brother to emphasize her point. "But I am holding you to that. Promise me, you'll get me when you want to talk to them."

"Yes, ma'am." Both Dannys half-smiled at her before floating and stepping back to leave.

"And Danny." They stopped at Jazz's voice. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you earlier. I...I should have been."

Phantom's core twinged at her sad expression. "We...we're the one who didn't let you in before." They had repeatedly done that after the accident, lying and keeping secrets. But...that was starting to change.

"But still…" Jazz's brows drew together. "I'm supposed to be there for you."

"You are now." Fenton comforted. "And that means a lot. Thanks for being so good about all of this."

"Of course, little brother." She glanced between the two meeting Fenton and then Phantom's gaze. "I'll see you in the morning. Maybe you should go do something to take your mind off….everything before bed."

"Good idea." Phantom said while Fenton nodded.

"Good night, Danny."

"Good night." The human and ghost both said at the same time before exiting the room.


	14. Chapter 14

Fenton and Phantom sat side by side on their bed, watching a movie. Wanting to follow Jazz's advice (she was worth listening too, sometimes), the ghost had first suggested playing video games. But they only had the one computer and the actual console with more than one controller was in the living room, where they could easily run into Mom and Dad. Phantom shivered, glancing at his frowning human half; neither of him were ready for that.

"How about we watch a movie instead?" Fenton said, trying to force a smile.

Phantom agreed and after grabbing some snacks, ("Man, we've barely eaten anything today." "Well, I don't eat so I didn't think to remind you...") they sat on the bed, watching a movie on their laptop. A silly cartoon they'd love as a kid which helped to release some tension like they'd hoped.

Phantom smiled, relaxing. "It's been so long since we watched this."

Fenton nodded and then grinned as a new scene started. He laughed. "I completely forgot that happened."

Laughs and sarcastic comments were exchanged. "How was that supposed to work?" "I don't know. That's cartoon logic for you."

Phantom blushed. "Dang. I actually got that joke now." Fenton shook his head. "I can't believe there's a joke that dirty in this."

More laughter. Yelling at the screen. "No! The blue one! You're supposed to take the blue one!"

Quoting lines. "Holy Guacamole!" "That's such a dumb catch phrase."

They laughed and talked and relaxed. Reminiscing and not thinking about Mom and Dad and all their other problems until it was well past the time they normally went to sleep on a school night.

Eventually, the human fell asleep, leaning against his ghost half. Phantom looked at his own sleeping face wistfully. He'd never get used to this. It was probably a good thing he wouldn't be able to; he wasn't supposed to. His expression fell as the movie ended and his attention turned more fully to his sleeping human self. They both felt a little better after talking to Jazz and the movie had distracted them but now….it was quiet and dark. And as Phantom's worries resurged, he wished he should sleep too. The ghost blew out a breath; he wasn't looking forward to another quiet, lonely night.

After a few moments, Phantom floated off the bed, gently lowering his human half onto the bed before putting away their laptop. With Fenton softly snoring comfortably on the bed, the ghost stared out the window, watching the handful of stars he could see. Maybe he could go for a flight. Or find a book. Or watch some Youtube videos. But none of that sounded interesting or like they would really distract him from everything that happened today, with Mom and Dad.

His parents. The ghost frowned, worrying. He hadn't heard them come upstairs, or watch tv in the living room, or blow anything up things in the basement. The house had been unusually, deathly quiet. His stomach churned with worry. What were they doing now? What were they thinking? Were they...talking about him and Fenton? They must have been earlier when Jazz came in and heard them talking. But what were they saying?

Phantom shook his head, rebuking himself. No, he didn't need to worry about that right now. He and his human half would talk to them tomorrow and everything would be okay. It would be, right?

A sound behind him distracted the ghost from his thoughts. The soft creaking of a mattress, Fenton whining in his sleep. Phantom turned around to find the human snuggling into his pillow, a frown on his face. His ghost half mirrored that frown; Fenton was almost definitely sharing his worries now, despite being asleep. Sighing, the ghost turned back to the window; maybe he should go for a flight, get out of the house to try and put his mind off of their parents. For both of their sakes.

Decision made, Phantom floated off the floor, intent on letting the stars and the feeling of the wind on his face sweep away his worries. He could have just phased through the window and been flying above the town moments later. But for some reason, he did something different and the ghost boy didn't know why.

He opened the bedroom door and floated down the hallway, towards the stairs to the first floor. The second floor was drowned in near darkness, except for his slight glow which just served to add to the eerie shadows...and a dim light coming from downstairs, probably from a lamp in the living room. Quiet voices drifted from downstairs and Phantom froze as he recognized who was speaking, his parents. He should go back to his room or just phase through the ceiling to fly like he planned. He shouldn't eavesdrop on them. But even as he thought that, the ghost crept forward and the words wavered into clarity.

"This is our fault, Jack."

No, he shouldn't listen in. He should…. Phantom stopped just before the stairs landing, the wall blocking his view of the living room...and anyone from seeing him.

"Maddie." His father started.

"It is Jack. It is. Don't try to deny it." Mom's voice, though quiet, was sharp.

No, he shouldn't eavesdrop. He didn't need to hear how guilty they felt. He... Ghost Danny froze, unable to move away, back toward the dark hallway or forward, to show himself in the light coming from the first floor.

"We...we hurt Danny." Mom continued. "We hurt him so badly. I just….The portal... I still can't believe it did...that." The ghost imagined her shaking her head.

"But we already knew Danny got hurt because of the portal, Madds." The man swallowed. "You found him, unconscious after his accident. And…" His voice turned ever quieter. "You heard what the doctors said. He was lucky to be alive after being electrocuted by that many volts."

"I already knew it was bad." Her voice wavered, the sadness sending a pang through Phantom's core. "But not this serious. He got hurt, bad enough to…to…"

"Form a ghost." Dad finished for her while the ghost stiffened at the statement.

"Exactly. We knew Danny got hurt and because of...of us. But I thought...I thought he got lucky and the ghostly symptoms were just extreme ectocontamination but this…." She trailed off and Phantom could picture her putting her head in her hands. He bit his lip; she still sounded so upset about his accident. But was she upset that he got hurt worse than they told her at first or because he was half ghost or….?

"What are we going to do about him?" Mom's question cut off his thoughts.

"About Danny?" Dad asked.

"About the ghost. Phantom." She said the last word, his chosen name with uncertainty again. What did she-?

"Maybe...we shouldn't do anything. We can't do anything, really." Similar uncertainty rose in Dad's voice.

"You're right." Mom sighed sadly. "We can't very well unmake a ghost."

Unmake? Confusion and anxiety warred; what was that supposed to mean?

"Technically we could. We've...you know what we've talked about doing to a ghost once we caught one." Phantom's eyes popped; he trembled, the familiar threats ringing in his head. Experiment. Dissect. Tear apart molecule by molecule. He would have fled in panic if not for the guilt in Dad's voice.

"No." Mom stressed the word. "I...I couldn't do that. Not to him. Not after….." A pause. "You saw the way he acted. The way he spoke. I couldn't hurt him, not with him looking at me like Danny does. He...he thinks we're his parents." Like Danny? His parents? His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Aren't we though?" Dad asked. "He's Danny's imprint. And even if not, our portal….it created him, Maddie." Imprint? That word sounded familiar; Mom and Dad used it when talking about ghosts. But…. A subtle dread raised the hair on the back of Phantom's neck.

"It did." Sadness weighed down the answer. "We're responsible for him." Another sigh. "But still what should we do? He's still a ghost. Couldn't he be dangerous?" Dangerous? A spike of fear cut through Phantom's core. No, no, he wasn't dangerous.

"No. He's not dangerous." Dad sounded surprisingly confident, almost chuckling. Phantom let out a sigh; Dad at least doesn't think he's a danger but his relief quickly turned to startled confusion. "I don't understand how but I think he's somehow got Danny's big heart." He has his own big heart? "You saw. We yelled at him, threatened him. We...we even shot at him." The ghost's core fell at the memory. "But he didn't fight back or even get angry. He just cried and begged for us to look at him."

Mom gave a thoughtful hum. "You're right. I think...he just wants to be acknowledged as our son. And we can do that." Something in that statement made the ghost tense anxiously. Something was off; Yes, he did want to be seen as Jack and Maddie Fenton's son. He was their son. But...

"Yeah. And Danny was very protective of him. They seem very attached." Danny….they meant his other half? Phantom stiffened. Of course the other Danny was protective and attached to him.

"They seemed a little too attached." Phantom could hear the frown in her voice and his subtle dread started blooming into fear.. How could he be too attached to himself? Unless….

"Can you blame them? Just imagine what this is like for Danno. Phantom looks like him, has a similar personality. They probably share interests, maybe even some memories. It must feel like...he met a twin he hadn't known about." Well….yes. They have the same personality, interests, and memories. But they're not twins...

"But Danny seems to think Phantom is another version of him." Another pang of fear rose. Why did Mom sound so disapproving of that? Phantom wasn't really another version of Danny but just a part of her son so….

"Well….from what we've theorized about how ghosts form, that's kind of true." How ghosts form. What are Mom and Dad's theories…..? Oh no.

"No Jack. Danny thinks he and Phantom are the same person." But they are that same person! "And Phantom agrees. I don't think he just believes he's an imprint of Danny. Phantom thinks he is Danny." Phantom paled. No.

"You really think…." Dad started skeptically.

"You heard both of them. Phantom clearly knows he's a ghost but somehow he doesn't realize that he's an ectoplasmic imprint." No. No. No. He's….he's not... "He thinks he's….part of Danny. And Phantom must have convinced Danny to agree." Of course Fenton agreed! He's Fenton's ghost half not...not...

"But… it's like you said Maddie. Danny agrees. He even said that the ghost catcher split him in half." There was a pause and when Dad continued, it was a soft question. "Couldn't they be right?"

Phantom relaxed ever so slightly; Dad might believe them at least. But then his growing hope shattered. "Someone can't be a human and a ghost at the same time. And definitely not in two bodies at once." The sharp denial cut into the ghost boy's core. "Phantom is just confused." Confused. No. No. No. He's not confused...He's not just a confused ectoplasmic imprint. "And we need to correct both of them before things get out of hand. We don't need Phantom overshadowing Danny again thinking he's 'fixing' them."

Ghost Danny leaned over, feeling sick. No. There wasn't any overshadowing. He wasn't overshadowing Danny because he was Danny. He is Danny. He's always been Danny. Damn it! He's already been through this. He's not an impostor. He's….

"You're right, honey." Dad said sadly. "We'll talk to them in the morning and help them see the truth."

The truth! The truth! Phantom already knew the truth. He knew who and what he was. He did! He had fought with it and against it. He's not a copy. Hands on his knees, the ghost's breath quickened. But he didn't need to breathe because he's a ghost. And he had thought there was no way Danny Fenton could be a ghost. Maybe…

"No." Ghost Danny hissed the word before he realized he was speaking. Emotions running high, he failed to notice the surge of his powers; a wave of cold wafted off of him and the downstairs lights flicker. "No. I'm Danny. I'm…."

The conversation downstairs cut off. "It sounds like someone's been listening." Mom sounded annoyed, mildly angry. She was mad at him. But did she think he was her son, up past bedtime and eavesdropping on Mom and Dad? Or confused ghost scum listening in on ghost hunters?

The stairs creaked as two sets of feet approached him. The heavy steps of his father and the light steps of his mother. But the boy looked down. He didn't want to look at them. He can't. Not if they think he's just… He leaned against the walls, knees buckling and he lowered himself.

Mom and Dad stopped in front of him, in the lite landing while Phantom cowered against the wall in the dark. He shivered; this felt too much like being in the lab this morning.

"You heard what we were talking about." Dad said. "We were going to talk to you in the morning but-"

"No." The ghost interrupted. He didn't want to hear it, how he's just an imprint.

"Phantom." Mom frowned, a hint of rebuke on her tongue.

"No. I'm Danny. My name's Danny." But was that true? Or was Danny the half ghost, half human he's supposed to be? He was just Phantom, just the incomplete ghost half. So he's not really… But no, they needed to see.

"Danny." Mom said with the same rebuke and doubt in her voice. She'd never said his name like she wasn't sure it belonged to him. That hurt.

"Son." Dad's voice was kinder. "Why don't we talk about this downstairs? I can see that you're upset."

Upset! Upset! Of course he was upset. "I don't want to talk if you're gonna just tell me I'm an impostor."

Mom's expression softened. "I wouldn't say impostor."

Dad nodded. "You're Danny's ghost and I understand why you think you are him."

"No. I am Danny. I am." Phantom argued, not noticing how his eyes flashed brighter.

"Phantom. I know it feels that way. But-" Mom put her hands in front of her, placatingly.

"I know who I am. I do. I'm Danny." The boy shook his head, hands shaking as another wave of cold surged off of him.

Mom's eyes widened and she glanced uncertainly at her husband. "Sweetie. I know it's hard but you're an imprint."

"No! I'm not!" The words came out louder than the ghost intended as his eyes flashed again and ectoenergy ignited in his hands. "I know who I am!"

Mom and Dad both stiffened, eyes widening as their mouth's snapped shut. It was then Phantom finally noticed the tension of their stances, Mom's hand hovering over the empty holster on her belt. Phantom lowered his hands, the neon green light instantly snuffing out. They looked afraid of him.

The boy's lip trembled and he looked down, unable to meet their eyes. "I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to…" He didn't mean to scare them. He never wanted to scare anyone. He was a good ghost. He was good.

After a moment, Dad swallowed. "It's alright kiddo. How about we go downstairs now?"

With a nod, Phantom let Mom and Dad lead him downstairs. Still avoiding their eyes, he took a seat on the armchair while his parents took the couch.

He wrung his hands and words were pouring out before he realized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It..it just happened and the powers….sometime I can't control them like I want to. But...but I'm good, I promise. I...I don't want to be a bad ghost. I'm good."

Ever as he said the words, guilt collected in his chest. He'd scared that little girl right after the ghost catcher, he'd hurt his human half last night, he'd made Jazz faint, and now he'd scared Mom and Dad.

The adults looked between each other, guilt marring their expressions. Mom's shoulders feel. "All...all those horrible things we've said about ghosts. We made you think you were evil." She paused, looking down shamefully.

Dad continued. "You definitely aren't. We know you're good."

"We should be apologizing. We both messed up. We made assumptions and mistakes." The woman looked at her husband who took her hand, squeezing it. "But we're seeing that we're wrong about ghosts in some respects."

"We know you can feel and think. You reason and learn. So ghosts aren't…." He blushed in shame. "All ghosts aren't mindless and obsessive like we thought."

"And we know you're not a monster, Phantom….Danny. I'm sorry I ever called you that." Mom apologized, sending complex feelings through the ghost. He appreciated the authentic words as they sent comforting warmth through him. But…

"But you still don't think I'm real." Ghost Danny wrapped his arms around himself.

Dad's frown deepened. "You are real, son."

"You guys still think I'm an imprint." He sighed sadly.

"That doesn't mean you're not real. You still think and feel, don't cha?" Dad raised a brow.

"Just because you weren't born in the way a human is, that doesn't mean you're not real." Mom added.

Phantom shook his head, finally looking up at them. "It's...uhhh… nice that you'd still care about me if I was an imprint. But I'm not. I'm literally your Danny. My human self and me just kinda got...split."

Mom and Dad both looked skeptical. The woman pinched the bridge of her nose. "It might feel that way, but that's simply not possible."

"And why not?" The ghost boy crossed his arms.

Mom sighed. "Someone cannot be a human and ghost at the same time, some kind of hybrid. You must realize how ludicrous that sounds."

Phantom ran a hand through his hair. "I know it sounds crazy. But…"

"Sweetie, it is crazy." Her tone was almost pitying. "Just...think about it this way. You know that if an unovershadowed human went through the ghost catcher, nothing would happen, right?."

Phantom tilted his head, confused at the sudden change of topic. "What?"

"If our son had gone through the ghost catcher before his accident nothing would have happened."

The ghost blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I mean, the ghost catcher removes ectoplasmic residue by passing matter through a particle field that forcibly repeals ectoplasm from real world matter. Even the lingering residue of this field will work on an overshadowing ghost as well, hence why the ghost catcher removed you from his body." The woman explained.

"Okay. I know that." Phantom raised a brow.

"But it would not have worked before the accident, which gave Danny what we thought was ectoplasmic contamination. But what we were really measuring must have been...well...you."

Phantom's eyes popped open as he paled. She..she had a point; he hadn't even thought about how they'd been able to split. But if they'd been able to measure the ectoplasm in his blood and his current body was made of that ectoplasm…. "Well that's…"

"That means the portal created you." Mom frowned pointedly.

"I know that portal made me like...this." Phantom motioned up and down his body, uncertainly. "But…"

"You...and Danny...said you died in the portal. So Danny's….near death experience is what caused you to form."

"Yeah. Our…..death made us half ghost. But...but that doesn't mean me and Fenton are separate people." Phantom argued, doubt growing.

"Madds, maybe he's not getting how ghosts form." Dad interjected.

"That's a good point honey." She addressed Dad before turning attention back to the ghost. "We had figured this was something ghosts instinctively know but I suppose you don't."

Numbly Phantom shook his head. Yep, they should definitely tell him how ghosts form and add to his growing panic.

Mom continued. "Well, ghosts are formed from the strong emotions of a living being's death….or near death apparently, since the actual cessation of bodily functions is not required. Those emotions imprint into ectoplasm, twisting and form it into a ghost bearing a resemblance to the organic being the emotions came from." She rubbed her chin. "We had thought the resulting ghost was only able to experience and display the emotions it was imprinted from- anger, sorrow, and maybe fear- but you suggest that isn't the case." The woman then shook her head. "Anyway, the important point is a person's ghost is not the same being as said deceased person but a new entity 'born' from their death."

The longer Mom talked, the paler Phantom grew. "But...I don't…" The boy bit his lip, unable to verbalize a response.

Both parent's expressions fell, looking troubled. Dad's brow furrowed as he asked. "Do you understand now?"

Phantom shook his head. No, he didn't understand. The theories….they made sense. Mom and Dad were the experts; they should know what they're talking about. But….he's Danny. He knew he was, right? Mom and Dad couldn't be right about him. No.

The boy wrung his hands. "But...what about the overshadowing?"

Mom raised a brow. "What about it?"

Phantom bit his lip, looking down. "Before the ghost catcher, when I was….with Fenton. It didn't feel like overshadowing. I don't remember it like a ghost controlling a human. I remember just being a scared human with powers I didn't understand." Head turning up, he met his parents' questioning gazes. "If me and Fenton are separate people, wouldn't it have felt like sharing a body with someone else? But it didn't. There was just….one. Just one voice, one mind. Just one person."

Mom tilted her head, studying him for several moments in thought. She wrinkled her brow. "But how do you know your human counterpart experienced what you did? Maybe you were not aware of his presence but he was of yours."

The boy shook his head. "But we talked about it and Fenton and I remember that time exactly the same way."

The woman cupped her chin. "Perhaps neither one of you was aware of the other."

"No. I know we were one person. We are one person." He emphasized, almost desperately.

Mom sighed, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Honey, you know that sounds ludicrous. It is not possible."

Ghost Danny frowned, getting agitated. "Yes it is! I know what happened to me."

"But we are talking to you right here, right now and your counterpart is asleep in his room. You can't be one person. Your father and I saw you, side by side."

"I know we're split now but we're still-" The ghost argued.

Dad speaking cut the boy off. "You said you didn't understand your powers before the ghost catcher. And Maddie, when Danny told us about his symptoms, he said he couldn't control them. We even saw that, him turning invisible and intangible without trying to."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Phantom balled his fists.

"Phantom, that was you, the random powers." The statement made his hands shake, anger turning into fear. Yes, he was the ghost powers. But… "You're a young ghost, barely a month old. And we don't know how long it takes for a ghost to become self aware."

Mom's eyes widened. "You're right Jack. If he wasn't self aware, not overshadowing but inhabiting Danny's body, passively."

"But..I am self aware." Ghost Danny's eyes widened.

But the parents ignored him as Dad continued."And not just anyone's body but his living counterpart. So Danny's emotions, thoughts, and memories were similar to the ones making him up."

Mom rubbed her chin. "And that inhabitation almost certainly wasn't intentional. Danny was in the portal as it started, right where Phantom formed. So it happened moments after Phantom formed."

Dad pointed out. "Or the ghost formed in the same space as Danny's body. That would explain the high concentration of tangible ectoplasm in Danny's blood stream."

"Right. And if as a newly formed ghost, he wasn't self aware but still taking in stimuli. Seeing through Danny's eyes, experiencing his emotions and thoughts, feeling when Danny willed his body to move." Mom's eyes widened in realization. "All those stimuli would feel like his, even though Danny was the one thinking and feeling."

"But I am Danny!" The ghost begged.

"And the powers would be random without an active ghostly mind to control them." Dad continued, enthusiastically.

Phantom paled. They were talking about him like he wasn't there, bouncing ideas off of each other like he was one of their experiments. He sputtered, stomach churning. "But...but that doesn't make sense. I am self aware."

"Right now you are." Mom pointed. "The ghost catcher would have forced you into your own ectoplasmic body and your mind was quickly forced to make sense of everything you'd experienced." She frowned, her expression sickly kind. "No wonder you were so confused."

Confused. No he wasn't confused. He was… "But you can't know that's what happened and I'm not right."

"You can't either." Mom crossed her arms. "And doesn't this make more sense than you and Danny somehow being one person, a half ghost?"

"No." The boy shook his head. He knew the truth, he knew. But… His powers, his powers had been uncontrollable before, dictated by some unknowable force or drive. Could that have been…. "I am Danny. I'm half ghost."

Half ghost. That didn't make much sense though, not really. Mom and Dad had never ever thought some kind of hybrid was possible. But he'd know if he's actually been overshadowing Fenton? No, he knew who he was. But...did he know? He'd thought he was a confused impostor for days. He'd been sure because Danny Fenton couldn't be a ghost. But he was Danny Fenton...or a part of him...or he should be, united with his human self. He wasn't a formerly unaware, nearly mindless ghost. But...could he tell? If that was the truth, he wouldn't be able to tell. He wouldn't be able to tell. He knew he was Danny's ghost. But…..was he separate? Just some ectoplasm imprinted on by Danny's death in the portal. Not part of Danny's soul, one half of a whole.

His chest was heaving, though he didn't need to breathe. "No, I'm not an impostor."

The boy blinked and Mom and Dad were kneeling in front of him. When had they moved?

"It's okay, son." Dad was holding his hand. "We'll help you figure this out."

Mom's hand wavered over his arm, as if she was unsure whether or not she should touch him. "I know this is hard. But you need to accept this. I know that you can."

"No." A tear collected in his eye. "I know who I am." But did he? Did he or was he just in denial?

Dad's lips turned down, expression softening. "Maybe you're not who you thought you were. And that's okay."

The ghost just shook his head. "No." He was Danny, like he thought. Except, he's been sure that wasn't true after the ghost catcher. And before he'd….they'd been sure, they weren't a ghost but just contaminated. His powers...he was a curse, a disease, a monster, scum. He'd been wrong about that (He had been wrong, right? He was a ghost but he wasn't a monster). Could he be wrong about this?

His eyes flashed a bright green, anxious panic spiking. A brief flash of the ceiling of his bedroom, the feeling of the soft bed under him. The green receded and he was looking at the living room carpet again. Fenton. Phantom could feel him, his other half, his human self. He was looking through Phantom's eyes, keenly feeling this panic too. The ghost looked up at his parents and when he spoke, Danny felt both Phantom and Fenton deciding to address their parents. "No, we're the same person. We...we just need to re-fuse. Merge back into one Danny and you'll see."

Mom paled. "You can't go back to overshadowing Danny."

He balled his fists. "I can't overshadow myself!"

"But you're not Danny!" The woman argued.

"Yes I am! You never listen to me!" He gritted his teeth.

"I am listening but this doesn't make any sense!" Mom was shaking, maybe with anger, maybe with...some other emotion the ghost wasn't registering.

"Maddie." Face pale, Dad put a hand on his wife's arm. "Maybe we should consider-"

"Mom?! Dad?!" A young male voice barked out from a human throat and the ghostly head turned.

A double image. Himself, black haired and standing at the foot of the stairs. Himself, white haired and sitting on the arm chair.A pair of blue eyes and a pair of green eyes met. Both blinked and the spell was broken.

The ghost was just Phantom again, only seeing his human half staring at him with wide, hurt eyes over the back of his parents' heads. He floated off the armchair and in the blink of an eye, phased through the parents and flew at his human. "Fenton!"

A thousand emotions bombarding his core, the ghost wrapped his arms around his other self. He turned them invisible and both figures disappeared.


	15. Chapter 15

Heart pounding in his chest, Fenton blinked awake, staring at the ceiling for a moment before shooting up in bed. The living room carpet flashed in his vision, Mom and Dad's worried faces at his peripheral. He was downstairs talking to them. No, he was in his bedroom, on his bed. Wait...both, because he was split between two bodies right now.

Mom and Dad were saying something. They...they didn't believe that Fenton and Phantom were both their Danny, the same person. His human head shakes. Focus, Danny. They need to get Mom and Dad to understand. Both sets of lips moved, both voices spoke as one (because they were one). "No, we're the same person. We...we just need to re-fuse. Merge back into one Danny and you'll see."

Mom's paled face wavered in his vision. "You can't go back to overshadowing Danny."

Fenton stood, balling his fists. "I can't overshadow myself!" Somehow he was aware of what his human body was doing in the bedroom and what his ghost self was doing in the living. It was very confusing; people weren't meant to pilot two bodies at once. So the human Danny tampered down his perception, closing his blue eyes.

"But you're not Danny!" His mom argued.

"Yes I am! You never listen to me!" Phantom gritted his teeth and Fenton echoed him.

Eyes still closed, the human version of Danny stumbled forward. All of him needed to be downstairs talking to Mom and Dad. No wonder they weren't understanding. No wonder his other self was floundering. Stupid! He'd let only half of his brain have this serious conversation with their parents. Feeling along the wall, he shuffled out of the bedroom and down the hall. (Luckily, he was familiar enough with the house to make it to the stairs with his eyes literally closed.)

"I am listening but this doesn't make any sense!" Mom shook, maybe with anger, maybe with...some other emotion the ghost wasn't registering. But the human was. She looked….startled, scared. He needed to get downstairs and explain. Or break up the starting fight.

The human Danny reached the top of the stairs. Opening his blue eyes, he forced the image of Mom and Dad's faces to the back of his mind, like an imagined daydream-still running through his awareness but not obstructing his vision. He stumbled down the stairs.

"Maddie." Face pale, Dad put a hand on his wife's arm. "Maybe we should consider-"

"Mom?! Dad?!" His voice barked out from his human throat and his ghostly head turned.

A double image. Himself, white haired and sitting on the arm chair. Himself, black haired and standing at the foot of the stairs. A pair of blue eyes and a pair of green eyes met. Both blinked and the spell was broken.

The human was just Fenton again, only seeing his tear-eyed ghost half half peering at him from the armchair. In a matter of seconds, Phantom floated up from his seat, phased through their parents, and flew at him. "Fenton!"

A colossal wave of emotions crashed over both boys as his other self wrapped his arms around Fenton. Cold washed over then, turning them invisible and both figures disappeared.

Spreading his ghostly weightlessness to his human self, Phantom floated them off the floor as their parents turned around and shot to their feet.

"Danny!" Dad exclaimed.

"Phantom, wait!" Mom reached towards where Fenton had been standing.

"We can talk about this just-" The plea was cut off as they shot intangibly through the ceiling.

Whirling of color and the tingly cold feeling sent a wave of vertigo through the human. He remembered this, his body suddening disappearing and sinking through the floor without his input, his control. Except….his ghost half was dictating the actions now.

The feeling lasted a few seconds before Fenton and Phantom rose through the metal ceiling of the Ops Center. Visibility and solidity returned at the ghost's mental command. He let go of Fenton and the human instantly leaned forward, queasiness still turning his stomach. He dry heaved, trying to calm his racing heart. He was okay, it was okay. He was safe and could trust Phantom, his own powers.

After several moments, the human stood up, eyes falling on his ghost. He finally registered the emotions wafting off of the ghost and his frantic body language. Panickedly rambling, Phantom paced through the air, a hand running through his hair. Where his legs should be, a ghostly tail trailed behind him, twitching nervously.

In the panic, both his own and Phantom's which fed and amplified each other, Fenton's brain short circuited. "You have a tail."

The ghost stopped directly in front of him, eyes widening in hurt. "Really?! Everything that just happened and that...that!"

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Fenton cursed himself; that was so stupid. He'd seen Phantom with a tail before. It just didn't choose to register to him until right now. "I'm...I'm panicking!"

"You're panicking?! I'm panicking!" The ghost pulled his hair in exacerbation.

"Of course I'm panicking! I'm you!" Fenton yelled.

Phantom's eyes widened as his tail lashed. "I know! I know! That's true, right? We're actually the same person."

"Yes! Of course it is! We keep going over this!" The human pulled his own hair.

"But...but Mom and Dad don't believe us. They think I'm just an imprint. A copy. Am I an impostor?"

"Danny." Fenton glared at his other self. "We both know you aren't."

"Where did I come from then?" The ghost waved his arms.

The question gave the human Danny pause, his anger lessening. "What do you mean?"

"Where did me, our ghost half come from?!" The ghost resumed his pacing.

"Well, the portal-"

"I know! The portal. But how does being split work? Where did….this come from?" Phantom motioned up and down his body. "This body. 'Cause it's made of ectoplasm. So where did that come from?"

Fenton gaped, mind sputtering at the question. How...how did splitting work? He'd not even thought about that, how it actually worked. Being in two bodies at once. "Ummmm."

"And if we'd gone through the ghost catcher before the accident, nothing would have happened. Nothing. Just one normal Danny Fenton." The ghost bit his lip, waving and pointing at the human. "But after….we ended up with two of us. Two! A human and a ghost. And Mom and Dad don't think a human-ghost hybrid is possible. So how do we know I'm not a confused copy?"

Fenton blinked. "I...I just know that you aren't."

"But how?! I could be tricking you, without even realizing it." His eyes widened exaggeratedly. "I'm not trying to if I actually am a copy. I wouldn't. I just want you to be safe and happy. But I don't know what to think. And…"

The human swallowed, his tongue feeling tired and heavy. He didn't know what to say, how to comfort. A tiny bit of doubt wiggled in his mind. Mom and Dad could be right. They were the experts.

Clearly noticing the lack of response, Phantom froze in front of the human. "Danny." He blinked pleadingly, begging for an answer.

The human Danny shook his head, blushing with shame. No, he'd known the truth since the first time Phantom talked to him in their bedroom. No, earlier. As soon as he came out the ghost catcher as just his human half, he knew something major was off.

He took a step forward, placing a hand on Phantom wrist. Sharp fear cut through Fenton from the touch but he pushed it down, swallowing. "I….I know who you are. You're still my other half."

"But still….how am I here, like this? 'Cause this body didn't exist before ghost catcher. Or...errr...since we could transform after the accident….did the portal create me?"

Fenton shook his head. "Maybe...maybe the portal accident made the ghostly body. It….changed us, deeply. But…." He looked up meeting his ghost half's green eyes. "That mind, the soul in there." He put a finger on the ghost's forehead. "That existed before the accident, always. You're just….Danny, like I am. We're still two halves of a whole."

His ghost's wide eyes studied him for a moment and the human could feel his other self mulling over the words. The ghost boy licked his lip, after a moment speaking. "Okay. Okay."

The human raised an eyebrow. "So no more denying that we're actually the same person?"

"No more denying. But…." Phantom gently pulled his wrist out of Fenton's grip before running his hands through his hair again. "Mom and Dad…."

Mom and Dad….The ghost trailed off and Fenton felt guilt mounting as he cursed himself again. He'd been asleep in his room and left his ghost half to deal with their parents and their stupid biases alone. And it stung so bad; they'd battled with whether or not Mom and Dad would accept them, with being a ghost and what all of that meant. And talking with Jazz had actually served to settle some of their fears. But now they were back, almost where they started! Phantom had even started doubting if he was an impostor again, for crying out loud! And worst of all…..

"Mom and Dad still don't believe us. They...they don't get it." The ghost's hands started shaking again. Fenton's worry mounted as his ghost started rambling and pacing again. "Mom was just...so sure that she's right, 'cause there's no way a hybrid could exist. And she wouldn't even listen to me and I have no idea what Dad's actually thinking since he just seemed to agree with her. " His lip trembled. "They wouldn't even listen to a thing I said, 'cause I'm just a confused ghost. And I just….." The ghost gritted his teeth. "They don't believe us about being split and were being just so damn condescending."

More guilt. The human looked down, muttering in shame. "I'm sorry I left you alone to deal with them."

Phantom didn't hear or ignored the statement. "They're not going to let us re-fuse."

Fenton blinked, paling at the sudden statement. "What?"

The ghost spread his arms, face screwed up in anger. "They still think I was overshadowing you and freaked out when we brought it up. They don't get that we're literally half of each other. So they won't let us merge and we'll be stuck like this. And…"

The words felt like a punch to the gut. "They won't let us…."

Phantom shook his head, bearing his teeth. "We should just do it now."

The human blinked. "Do what?"

And the ghost was inches from his face. "We should re-fuse, right now."

Fenton somehow paled even more, his heart stopping. "Right now?" It came out so quiet.

"Now." Phantom demanded. "They'll stop us if we don't. But if we do, they'll see. They'll have to."

Now Fenton shook. "No. We...we can't. Mom and Dad will...they'll..."

"I don't care!" The ghost raised his arms. "I don't care if they're angry or don't trust us after. I don't care!" His fists balled. "I can't live like this! I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't go to school. I can't even go out in public and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of feeling like a stranger in my own body! I miss being human!"

The human blinked surprised at the statement. He hadn't thought about, hadn't considered that. They'd been a human much longer than they'd been half ghost. So being a ghost one hundred percent of the time must be really hard on his other half. And he himself missed his powers. But….

"But...Mom and Dad will just make us go through the ghost catcher again." Fenton shook his head.

The ghost's expression shifted, his fiery anger turning into something hard. "Well, we'll…" The ghost's eyes flashed and he practically growled. "We won't let them."

The human's eyes widened, the threat of the statement giving him pause. "Phantom."

"We have ghost powers! They can't make us do anything we don't want to!"

The human stuttered. "No. We...we can't."

"Fenton." The ghost's eyes narrowed.

"We can't." Fenton shook his head, his hands shaking. He didn't know what he was saying they couldn't do. Couldn't re-fuse, couldn't oppose their parents.

"Yes we can!" Phantom shouted.

Fenton stepped back, his heart pounding in his chest. Why was his heart beating so fast? "I….I don't….don't think…" His voice quivered, uncertainly.

His ghost floated a step back a moment later, a hurt expression suddenly covering his face. "You're scared of me."

Fenton paled. Was he scared? Scared of his own ghost half? His mind raced. He wasn't scared of his ghost half. He was past that, he was….

"I scared you. I...I keep scaring people." Guilt flitted across the ghost's face.

The human's own guilt flared- at hurting Phantom again, at being scared of this part of himself when he thought he was already over that fear. Taking a deep breath to force his heart rate down, Fenton put on a brave face. "No. I'm not….You didn't…. I'm just scared at how Mom and Dad will react. They'll be so mad at us and….."

Phantom's face softened somewhat in understanding. "They might be but….we need to do what's best for us. Not what will make them happy."

The human swallowed, considering. He wanted to argue but...emotions swirled in his head. What to do. Re-fuse now or wait, hoping their parents would understand. That….all of this...was so confusing. He and his ghost half disagreed. They disagreed about what to do. But they were the same person? The clashing of emotions seemed to pierce the human to his heart, viscerally remind the human of how incomplete he was. What would the whole Danny do? Would he choose to be complete or try to maintain his relationship with his parents? Or would he be indecisive, pulled in two directions by the decision? The human didn't know. He didn't know and not knowing scared him.

But then again, their complete half ghost self would never have had to deal with this situation, since being split was the problem. And that wouldn't have happened if he, the human half, hadn't wanted to cure them. Another spike of guilt prickeled. He'd wronged himself so badly. And the pain was double, striking twice. The guilt of wronging someone and the pain of being wronged. Both at the same time.

"Danny?" His own echoing voice drew his attention again.

Blushing in shame at his distraction, the human Danny looked up, meeting ghost Danny's worried eyes. The guilt didn't matter right now. Now the question was- what was more important? Being whole or maintaining Mom and Dad's acceptance?

Was that really even a question?

Fenton swallowed. "Okay."

Phantom raised a brow. "Okay?"

"Let's...let's do it. Merge. Right now." He bit his lip.

"Really? You...you want to…" Phantom's eyes lit up with relief, a dim hope.

"Yes." The human replied as confident as he could muster.

The ghost's expression softened in something that might be fond gratitude. He floated forward. "Okay. Yeah."

"Yeah." Fenton nodded, before looking at Phantom and then down at himself. "How do we….uhhh?"

Phantom's eyes widened in understanding before he bit his lip. "I...uhhh….think I have to….basically overshadow you."

The human raised a brow, slightly startled. "Excuse me?"

The other boy swallowed. "I turn intangible. And...uhh.." He pointed at Fenton's chest, blushing green. "Just kinda...phase inside."

Fenton also blushed. "That's….not any better."

Phantom chuckled nervously before shrugging. "How else are we supposed to get back in one body?"

"You got me there." The human Danny half-smiled before his lip turned down. "I guess this is it."

Ghost Danny also frowned. "I guess it is." He floated another step forward before landing on the Ops Center roof so the two were at eye level, face to face. He reached for his human self's hand, gently taking it and searching his human's eyes as emotions flowed through the contact. "You're still scared?"

His mouth dry, the human nodded. "Yeah."

Phantom's eyes softened. "I'm scared too."

Fenton swallowed and tried to smile. "But….we'll be okay Danny." He believed it; he did. But it was hard; he would have to have faith. Faith that while they weren't okay right now, they would be.

"Yeah, we'll be okay Danny." Phantom returned with his own soft smile.

Ghost Danny wrapped his arms around his human self who returned the hug. He leaned into it, enjoying the cold radiating from his other self. This would be the last time he'd be able to hug himself like this. It was extraordinary and strange. Something he should never have been able to experience but at some level, maybe he was fortunate to get to experience this.

Both Dannys gave another squeeze tightening the embrace before the ghost turned intangible, his body disappearing from the human's grip. Fenton closed his eyes, taking a breath as the cold- the energy and presence of his ghostly self- washed through him.

* * *

Pain. Fenton's head pounded, electricity running through him. It...it wasn't supposed to hurt. Merging….it...it was…..They should be whole but….

Pain. He screamed in his head. Maybe out loud too. And Phantom screamed in his head. Their head. His head. Pain. Burning, tearing. It felt like he was dunked in liquid nitrogen. Stuffed in a box. Constricted. Walls were closing in around him. It was dark, too dark. No. That's not right. That...that's what Phantom was feeling. But he was Phantom….Wait….

Fenton doubled over, gripping his stomach. It hurt. Hurt hurt. Another scream and he fell to his knees. Why did this hurt!? They were supposed to merge. But…. Phantom was panicking. And Fenton could feel him, writhing. Screaming. The human's hands shook; he was panicking too. Not good, not good. Something's wrong. This was wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Below him in the Ops center, a shout sounded. Something pounded on metal. What was…..Voices. Mom and Dad. Jazz? Why?

Pain! Another wave of pain and Fenton fell forward onto his (their?) stomach. His hands clenched and unclenched without his mental command. Phantom? Was he doing that? Another scream in his head. His ghost was screaming. Something was wrong. No.

A metal hatch on the metal floor flung open. Mom and Dad popped out trailed by….Jazz? They were yelling. The words….didn't make...didn't make...sense.

Pain! Hurt! Scream. Phantom writhed. Fenton closed his eyes. They flickered intangible, invisible.

Someone was running towards them. "Danny!"

That's his...their name. Yes. No. Re-fusing. Not...not...working. Fenton...pushed...mentally. Phantom needed to leave. Out. The ghost was hurting. The human was hurting. All of them was hurting. If this was whole….no, it wasn't. This wasn't. It wasn't working. They...they needed to try something else. Push. Out. Out. Out.

A mental cry. No! Another flicker of intangibility and the cold grated at Fenton. Phantom pulled. No, stay. Whole. Need to be…..

No, pain. Out. Not...not working. Not working. A mental push. Phantom, please.

Hurt! Pain! They were shaking on the floor, trembling. An echoing whine echoed in Fenton's head. The human pushed again and Phantom gave in.

* * *

The cold flew out of Fenton, leaving him panting on his stomach. His cheek pressed against the cold metal of the roof. An echoing voice panted several feet from him, the sound turning into a whimper…..and then a sob.

"Danny!" Someone was calling his name, again.

But the human couldn't focus on that, the aching in his body overwhelming his senses. It still hurt, like after the accident. He felt...weak. So weak. Why was he...why didn't that…? Beside him, someone's breath hitched through their sobs. Who was crying? What….

Phantom! Fenton's eyes widened, realization washing over him. They...they'd tried to re-fuse but it didn't work. And now...His ghost half was crying, horribly upset. The human shakily pushed himself up onto his forearms, his head pulling up to see his ghost. The other boy was laying on his side in a fetal position, body trembling and tears running down his face. Alarm spiked through the human Danny's heart. Was Phantom okay? He..he needed to move, to be near his other half.

His body felt so heavy but the boy struggled, dragging himself close with his weak arms. But after moving just inches, two people step between him and his other self. Mom and Dad.

"Danny!" Mom lowered herself to her knees, eyes wide with worry.. "Baby, are you hurt? What happened?"

"No...I'm...we need…" Fenton tried to speak but the words wouldn't come, his tongue refusing to work.

His mother frowned, her arm reaching towards him at the same time Dad came to kneel on the roof. "Son."

"Mom...Dad...It's….what...what are you...doing?" He struggled for words as two pairs of arms grabbed him, pulling him into his parents' embrace.

Mom ran a hand through his hair. "It's okay. It's going to be okay, Danny."

He squirmed, the attempt at comfort biting after what they told his ghost half. "No…..I need….Phantom."

The hand running through his hair stopped. "Sweetie." The woman's expression hardened. "He tried to overshadow you again."

"No. It's...it's not...not overshadowing." The human struggled more. "We were….we were trying to fuse...Phantom….Phantom…"

The sound of crying increased in volume and Mom's lip pursed like she tasted something sour. "I know what he's told you but...that's not possible."

"Yes! Yes it is, Mom." He argued. "Let go. Let go of me."

"Danny-boy calm down. It's-" Dad started.

Fenton interrupted. "Let me go! He's me. Let me go!" He yelled over his ghost half's cries.

The boy mentally cursed. They didn't even care. They didn't even care that his ghost half was hurting. All they saw was the human. Why did they love his human self but not his ghost? Why? And why didn't the merge work? The human Danny gritted his teeth. It was supposed to work. They were supposed to see. He was supposed to be whole. But now….he was still half. And Mom and Dad were too busy trying to 'comfort' him to actually listen.

The boy struggled, wishing he had his powers and could just phase out of this unwanted embrace. Phantom was crying and he needed to comfort him. They needed to be together, side by side, even if the re-fusing didn't work.

Amazingly, despite how weak Fenton felt, he shook himself out of his parent's grip. He crawled around them, towards his ghost.

"I'm sorry, little brother. I'm so sorry. It's going to be okay." Jazz knelt beside Phantom, her words suddenly entering his awareness. At least she cared about all of him. "We'll figure this out. I'll help you. I promise." She gently rubbed his back as Fenton advanced.

"Phantom." The human whispered the words, now less than a foot away.

Jazz's gaze fell on him and she shuffled back, giving Fenton space. Now in front of his ghost, he collapsed onto his side, facing him. "Phantom." He whispered again.

Teary green eyes blinked at him, recognition dawning. "F...Fenton?"

"Yeah. I'm here. I'm here." He started to move a hand towards his ghost.

Phantom frowned, a tear running down his face. "You...you pushed me out."

The human's breath hitched. "I...I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Another sob broke through the ghost's lips. "You pushed me out. You said, you wanted me. You said...you said…."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Guilt flared and Fenton paled. "I do….I do. But...but it didn't….work."

Phantom shook his head, his eyes becoming unfocused. "You pushed me out. You...you said you want me. But you don't...and...and I don't….I can't...I don't understand."

Apologies kept pouring out. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." That's all he could say. He didn't know, he didn't know why merging didn't work. He wanted his powers, his ghost half. But….he was scared. He'd been scared. Maybe….maybe the merge didn't work because of him, because he was…..

Voices behind him shook the human out of his spiraling thoughts.

"Danny sweetie. Get away from Phantom." Mom's words, forcibly calm, barely covered her alarm. Or….

Was she angry? The human tensed. She...she was angry, wasn't she? And she...she wanted him to get away from his ghost half.

"We...we won't hurt him but you need to sit up and get away from the ghost, son." Dad added, tense worry clear in his voice.

Twin pairs of eyes widened, meeting each other. Phantom whimpered, curling in on himself farther. His human half reached out, laying a hand on the ghost's arm. Sorrow and fear surged through the connection and Fenton started crying, struggling to not sob.

"Danny!" Alarm rang in Mom's voice. "You can't ignore us. Get away from the ghost!" Feet pounded behind him and the boy could almost feel them loaming over him, their eyes focusing on his back.

Their parents….they were going to force them apart. Keep them apart. They'd never let them merge. They'd never be whole. And Mom and Dad would….they'd...What would they do to his ghost? Lock him up, put him in a cage. Experiment? A spike of panic. They'd never see Phantom as anything more than a confused copy. Was that the only thing saving him from becoming their lab rat, the 'resemblance' to their Danny?

Another set of feet shuffled, a person coming to stand right behind him. "Mom. Dad. Stop." Jazz's voice demanded.

Though still crying, Fenton sighed in relief. Jazz, his sister. She was standing between them and their parents.

"We need to help your brother!" Mom argued, an edge in her voice.

"Help him?!" The boy imagined her balling her fist, her eyes alight with fury. "You two have done enough!"

Dad's voice tinged with guilt. "Jazz, we can argue about our part in this later but-"

The red haired teen cut him off. "You tore him in half!"

"Please don't tell me Phantom got to you too. This is ridiculous." Mom's pitch rose. " Phantom was passively overshadowing Danny. And he just tried to do it again!" Fenton's heart skipped a beat. No he wasn't. Phantom wasn't. Why...why couldn't Mom and Dad just listen? Why couldn't they see?

"That's not what was happening!" Their sister argued.

"You saw! Phantom was trying to overshadow him just now." No. No. No

"They were trying to merge." Jazz explained. She was defending them, protecting them. He should...he should move, say something. Not lie here useless and silently crying.

"Merge." Mom's skeptical tone pricked his heart. "Danny and Phantom aren't the same person. Phantom….that ghost was trying to possess him." Fenton shivered; that ghost, he was, his other half was THAT ghost. "That ghost hurt him."

"Open your eyes! They're both hurting!" Jazz shouted. "They were trying to merge, to fix the problem you made and it didn't work. It didn't work. No wonder both of him are upset."

"Don't you go blaming this on us! Your father and I have tried to be patient and understanding." Mom sounded defensive. "We were willing to let a ghost be part of our family." Were? They were? Pasted tense. Worry was blooming into panic. "We tried to show him the truth. But then he went and did...did this. That ghost is lucky we don't-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Jazz almost growled hatefully. "Don't you f-ing dare."

"Jasmine! Your mother is angry but I know she doesn't mean-" Dad's voice cut in, doing little to ease Fenton's panic. She didn't mean it? But...what if..what if….

"Stop it both of you! Why wouldn't you just listen?!" His sister yelled.

"We tried, Jazz. But Phantom is confused." He was just confused. His ghost half was just confused. Fenton looked forward, meeting his ghost's teary, sorrowful eyes. Another spike of complex emotion flowed into him from the ghost and the boy closed his eyes, as if to tune everything out. "We were just trying to help him."

Fenton closed his human eyes but he could still see, through his ghost's vision. First his own pale face, eyes closed with his dark hair plastered on his forehead. Then his gaze shifted up, falling on the back of Jazz's head…..and Mom and Dad's serious faces.

"This...this isn't helping!" Their sister shook her head.

"We're trying our best but if they wouldn't listen to us-" Dad's frown deepened.

"No. You need to listen!" Jazz took a step towards them, pointing angrily. "You need to actually listen to Danny. He knows what happened to him."

"No he clearly doesn't." Mom argued, her arms crossed. "We are experts on ghosts, Jazz. Your father and I have studied them for longer than you've been alive. Ghost-human hybrids are not possible."

Jazz took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. When she spoke her words were level but sharp. "You need to stop assuming that just because you're the adults, because you're the experts that you know everything."

There was a pause from their parents, the silence somehow making the both Dannys more tense. Fenton agreed with Jazz; just because Mom and Dad were the adults and the experts didn't mean they knew more about what happened to him than he himself did. He knew he should be mad at their parents for not listening but….it still hurt.

Dad finally spoke. "Well….we obviously don't know everything. But we know more about ghosts than you and your brother."

"You hadn't even seen a ghost before the portal." From the back, the boy could tell she was pinching the bridge of her nose. "And Danny...Danny's the first ghost you've even seen, the first ghost you've ever talked to. And you barely listened."

"Danny isn't a ghost, Jazz." Mom narrowed her eyes.

"Both of them are Danny." Jazz motioned backwards, pointing at both Dannys. "They're literally the same person. A half ghost."

Mom shook her head, still in denial. "Your brother isn't half ghost."

"Now you're just being willfully blind. How else do you explain all of this? The empathic connection, shared memories and dreams. Injuries getting transferred."

Mom paled, anger leaching from her face as Dad's mouth formed a surprised 'O' shape. "We didn't know about any of that."

"Are you serious? They told me you saw them speaking as one, with human Danny's eyes glowing. You saw and you're just choosing not to believe."

"But...but it's still not possible." Mom's eyes were wide. Her expression shifted, an assured denial morphing into….something uncertain. "Someone can't be split like this."

At Mom's shaking voice, Jazz's response softened as she explained. "And this is why they're both hurting. Because they're not supposed to be divided like this. They're supposed to really be half ghost."

There was another beat of heavy silence. Then Mom sputtered. "Your brother….he...Danny isn't supposed to be a ghost." Supposed to be. The emphasis there, at once angry, heartbroken, and desperate, stabbed Fenton's heart.

"So that's what this is really about." Jazz's voice turned cold, her words biting. "You don't want this to be true." Her anger built. "This, your bias against ghosts isn't helping Danny. It's hurting him right now."

"But...but he shouldn't be a ghost. He can't be. It's...unnatural. Wrong." Mom's words were quiet, like she could barely bear to say them, like the very act was painful.

How….how could she say something like that? How could she think he was unnatural? But wasn't he? He wasn't normal. He was unnatural, wrong, a freak. He's….

"There's nothing wrong with Danny." Jazz hissed, her voice as sharp as a sword. "He's just different."

Jazz's words pulled at him. The human Danny wanted to believe. There was nothing wrong with him because he was part ghost. He was just different because of the accident but that wasn't a bad thing. But….

"But he can't be a ghost." Mom denied; she continued desperately. To get Jazz to understand? To find any reason her Danny couldn't be a ghost.. "Ghosts...they aren't' like us, Jazz."

"So what?" The girl spread her arms, indignant. "Yes, ghosts are different from humans but that doesn't make them lesser or wrong. And Danny's different now but this doesn't change who he is. He's still your son, my brother."

There was a long pause, the silence so heavy and deep Fenton would think Mom and Dad had left if not for the sound of their breaths. What were they thinking? Were they still in denial? Or were they realizing the truth? That he actually was an unnatural freak?

After what felt like forever, Mom stuttered, a clear fear in her voice. "Jazz, honey. I just...I don't...I can't…"

"No. This isn't about you." Jazz shook her head, her shoulders falling. She didn't sound angry but….desperate, pleading. Somehow begging for understanding more vehemently than she had earlier. "This is about Danny. You need to accept him, all of him, even if you don't understand it."

Feet shuffled awkwardly. Then light steps advanced. Jazz backed up towards Fenton.

Fenton pinched his eyes closed, forehead wrinkling. But Phantom's eyes widened; he trembled. Through the ghost's eyes, both Dannys saw their Mom's gaze fall on Phantom. Her hard expression softened, something unreadable behind her eyes. The human Danny's breath hitched.

Then his Mom sighed. "Jazz, We're...I'm not going to separate them. I just….I need to talk to Danny."

Jazz's shoulder tensed. The human imagined her nose scrunching up. She twisted around, her eyes falling on Phantom as well. His gaze (and Fenton's with him) flittered between his Mom and his sister. Jazz raised a brow, asking the silent question and the ghost nodded, almost imperceptibly. Eyes widening slightly in understanding, the girl also nodded. Then she turned back towards their parents.

After a moment, Jazz took a breath. "Only if you promise to listen this time."

"I will." Mom's lip twitched, her gaze shifting from Phantom to Jazz as she sincerely replied. "I will. Jack?"

"Of course." Dad's expression soft, the man said the words with conviction before he focused his eyes on his shoes in shame. "We...we should have earlier."

Tension lessening, Jazz stepped aside. Slowly, with hands out to show they were unarmed, Mom and Dad approached while Phantom warrily tracked their movement. The adults stopped, loaming over them. Both ripe with tension, Fenton and Phantom's stiffened. Their tears had slowed, drying on their faces as tension mounted during the conversation between the parents and Jazz. But now….

"Danny sweetie. Can you sit up?" Mom said gently.

Finally opening his blue eyes, Fenton grunted but said nothing. He didn't know if Mom and Dad could be trusted after...everything. Dad knelt down beside him and in the corner of his eye, to his surprise, he saw Mom kneel beside Phantom, just inches from the ghost.

The Dannys meet each other's eyes, before both nodded. After a second, a large hand appeared on Fenton's back. He glanced up, meeting his father's kind, though guilt eyes. The boy shifted his body, keenly feeling the ache of his muscles as Dad helped him sit up. Still weak, the boy leaned against his dad's side.

The man forced a half-smile onto his face. "Do you mind telling us what happened before we came through the hatch?"

The human glanced at his ghost half again, his brow raising as he noticed the ghost leaning against Mom's side, looking too exhausted to keep himself upright. Fenton took a breath, answering for them. "We...we were trying to merge. But it didn't work. I...I don't know why."

Tense despite his weak status, Phantom looked at Mom. He sniffled. "We're...we're supposed to be one. Not two. One. Why….why didn't...why didn't…" Dad gently placed a hand on the ghost's shoulder and the ghost boy relaxed at the action.

Mom looked between the two, to Fenton then Phantom, then back to Fenton. A myriad of emotions crossed her face. "I believe I have a theory about that but first." She sighed, her brows furrowing in an intense expression. "Do you want this?"

The question startling him, Fenton raised a brow. "What?

She clarified, uncertainty inching onto her face. "Your….powers. Your ghost half." Another deep breath. "Do you want to be half ghost?"

The human blinked. She...she was really asking that, like...like she might believe it.

"Yes." He said with uncertainty. But not because he was unsure about his ghost half. He wanted his powers, needed them, his ghost half, Phantom. And not just to be whole. But Mom and Dad, his parents…..would they, could they understand and accept that?

Mom's lips twitched in an unreadable expression. Then she turned to Phantom. "And you agree?"

Phantom looked at her skeptically before nodding. "Yes."

There was a very long pause. Mom's forehead wrinkled like the woman was thinking very hard about something. She met her husband's eyes, a silent conversation passing between the adults. Dad raised a brow before nodding. Mom sighed and when she spoke it was quietly, serious. "Okay. We'll find a way to help you re-fuse."

Fenton blinked startled. "What…..really?"

"Yes. If this is what you want. If you're sure about…" She motioned between the two. "Jazz was right. Your father and I...we need to trust you about this." She met Phantom's eyes, expression softening. Her hand hovered over Phantom's arm, uncertainly, before gently settling. "I trust you. I do not understand but...I'm trusting you, Danny."

Fenton raised a brow at the statement. Danny. She finally called his ghost self Danny and not uncertainly or to just placate him but intentionally. The name and the declaration of trust sent small tendrils of relieved hope through him. Maybe…..maybe she meant it and Mom and Dad would help them and everything would be okay. But…

Other emotions clashed. His ghosts half wore a pained expression, shoulders low. He glanced warrily at Mom before glancing at Dad. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes Son." Dad nodded, focusing eyes on the ghost.

Phantom bit his lip, studying Mom again. "Do you actually believe that me and Fenton are the same person or….." He trailed off.

Mom frowned as she glanced between the two Dannys again. Then she sighed, closing her eyes. "I….I don't know." The ghost's lips twisted, his pained expression deepening as he tensed. The woman continued. "I don't know what I really think about all of this. Maybe….I don't want to believe but ..."

"We need to do better." Dad continued, reaching towards Phantom again to pat his back but the ghost leaned away, flickering intangible for a moment.

Amazingly Mom and Dad didn't react to the display beside guilty and hurt expressions. The group instead sat in silence. Emotions clashed inside Fenton as he fixed his gaze on his lap. He wanted to believe them, that their parents would do better and actually help them but….that wasn't an apology and Mom and Dad had already hurt them before. The boy didn't know if he should trust them. He glanced up, seeing Phantom wrap his arms around his stomach; Fenton could feel the same war of emotions running through his ghost, except….that part of himself, his ghost half was the one really hurt by Mom and Dad.

Jazz's cough cut through the silence; she squatted down between Fenton and Phantom. "Maybe we should all go to bed and talk about this in the morning."

"Yeah." Fenton said, Phantom echoing him a fraction of a second later.

Shakily, the human Danny stood with Jazz's help while Phantom floated up from his sitting position. Mom and Dad stayed sitting on the metal roof while the three teens stepped away, facing away from them. Jazz put one arm around Fenton and one around Phantom. Both boys accepted the touch as she led them towards the hatch.

Jazz bent to pull open the trapdoor and Fenton glanced back at their parents who had moved closer together with Dad quietly talking to Mom who wore a guilty look.

"Come on Danny." Fenton turned back to see Jazz offering her hand. He looked through the hole, into the lit Ops Center, his eyes passing over his ghost half floating at the bottom of the ladder. "I can help you climb down."

Fenton shook his head. "I can do it myself."

Studying him for a second, Jazz conceded going down first. But the human could feel her eyes watching him like a hawk as he lowered himself down the ladder. Once on the floor of the Ops Center, Jazz led the group to the elevator.

Phantom sighed, looking at Jazz. "Do you think they mean it?"

The girl turned, a sad frown on her face. "I….I don't know. But I hope they do."

As the elevator arrived, the doors opening with a ding, Fenton looked down; that was his thoughts almost exactly.

Jazz puts her arm around his shoulder, her other around Phantom again. "It will be okay, little brother."

Dimly, he hoped she was right.


	16. Chapter 16

Note: I'm back with a new chapter! I would have posted this last weekend but I took a trip out of time and didn't have time to proofread it with my sister until yesterday night. But anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

Phantom felt numb, like a balloon, weightless, disconnected. His eyes unfocused, seeing nothing. His ears were full of cotton, only muffled, faraway sound penetrating his sluggish mind. If he was human right now, he'd be stiff, his muscles struggling to drag himself forward. But he wasn't. He couldn't turn human because the fusion failed. He was still incomplete, half a being...and he'd never felt more like the ghost he was.

Floating silently, he let himself be led by his sister, down the hall and to his bedroom. His other self stumbled robotically beside her, mirroring his ghost half's sober posture.

Jazz stopped outside Danny's bedroom door. She turned to face the two halves. "Good night, Danny."

With a soft smile, she leaned forward to kiss Fenton and then Phantom on the forehead. If either Danny was more aware, they'd have leaned away, nosing wrinkled in disgust. Or wiped the 'kiss' away with an annoyed groan. But both halves were numb, eyes fixed down sadly.

Their sister frowned, turning the knob and pushing the door open. "I love you so much. And I'm here if you want to talk, even in the middle of the night."

The words passively washed over Phantom, who couldn't even think to respond. But his human half sighed, glancing up at Jazz. "Okay." He said meekly.

Jazz's lips twitched, her frown threatening to deepen. Her brow wrinkled in thought as her gaze flitted between the two boys. Out the corner of his eye, Phantom could almost see the decision mulling in her head, hover and try to comfort or give them space. After a moment, her shoulders fell. "Okay." Her expression softened. "I'll see you in the morning. Try to get some sleep."

Hesitantly, the girl stepped away, slowly walking to her door and all the while watching the two until Fenton stepped through the door and Phantom followed. The ghost closed the door. Silently, Fenton who was still in his day clothes, grabbed a pair of pajamas from the drawers. Without any warning to his ghost half, he started undressing. Phantom didn't even bother to blush, just looking down to give an illusion of privacy (ha). As if he needed privacy from himself. And that was supposed to be him. The merging was supposed to work, leaving only one Danny to get dressed for sleep and climb into his bed. But instead, Phantom was still stuck like...like….this. Just a ghost.

"Phantom." His own voice broke the silence. "I'm sorry. Mom and Dad...they'll…."

Oh, yeah. There was Mom and Dad to think about too, who may or may not believe them about being the same person. The ghost sighed, looking up to find his human self now dressed in spaceship pajamas.

The human continued, frowning. "We'll….we'll figure this out. We'll figure out how to re-fuse and get Mom and Dad on board. And...it'll be okay, right? Yeah."

Fenton looked at him with wide, begging eyes. A silent plea for comfort, for assurement of his hope. But Phantom couldn't muster the response his human half was looking for.

Instead, his expression turned carefully neutral. "You should….try to sleep."

"Oh." Fenton's shoulder dropped, disappointed. "I guess I should. Yeah. It's late and…." The human trailed off, eyes focused down as he sat on the bed.

Silence fell again, the atmosphere heavy. Phantom turned around, looking out the window. After a few moments, the bed behind him creaked. The ghost glanced back, seeing his human self laying down and settling under the covers, a somber expression on his face.

The ghost's brow uncreased, his lips turning up slightly. "I think….I'm going to go for a flight. Ok?" He floated forward, meeting his other half's eyes. "Good night, Danny."

The boy blinked, his own expression softening. "Good night, Danny." He muttered, closing his eyes.

Phantom nodded, turning back around. His softer expression falling, he phased through the window.

* * *

The ghost streaked across the sky, the wind stinging his face. Maybe another night he would have enjoyed the speed, the sensation but now….he just wanted to flee as if he could get away from his own thoughts. But one's own mind is not something that one can so easily escape.

Mom and Dad's faces flashed through his mind. Heartbroken, teary, and guilty. Like they'd been after talking in the lab that morning. It was painful and that reaction he'd understood and could accept but after…..Mom's thoughtful expression as she contemplated his origin. Scientific curiosity and excitement when Mom and Dad talked about him like he wasn't even there, as they threw hypotheses back and forth about how he was a formerly unaware copy. A kind but pitying look that made him feel sick. 'No wonder you were so confused.'

The boy careened to a stop, now in a forest at the edge of town. He felt his core flare within his chest, the cold energy swirling. At the same time, Mom's words burned in his mind.

'Phantom's just confused. We're trying to help him.' Over and over again. 'Phantom was confused and they were just trying to help. They were the adults, the experts so they knew best.' They did want to help; But really, that was worse than them just rejecting him. If they had just rejected him, the boy would know how to react, how to feel. He would know to not trust Mom and Dad, to not give into the hope that things would get better. But now…..

More words painfully pricked at his core. 'Get away from the ghost!' His parents loomed over them, threatening to pull him and his human self apart. 'That ghost is lucky we don't-' Guns, cages and experiments. Another threat, subtle, just below the surface. They hated ghosts, rambled about how they would study and experiment on them. Except….

They would never hurt him, right? He was their son; they loved him. They just wanted what was best for him, to help him?

But they never listened! He and Fenton told them exactly what they needed but they refused to believe it. Mom and Dad were being so stubborn and bull-headed and blind. They just wouldn't listen…. until Jazz stepped in and beratted them for their bias.

And that was the real problem; they still hated ghosts. Ghosts weren't like humans….they're lesser... Confused post human consciousness. Not evil monsters but…'unnatural, wrong'.

Phantom's fists balled; he was still unnatural and wrong in their eyes. His own parents and they thought this, he was wrong. That word, wrong, it burned again and again, stabbing his core. He was wrong, a freak like he thought. He'd never be normal again and Mom and Dad saw that now and said he 'wasn't supposed to be a ghost'. Their son, their Danny wasn't supposed to be, should not be a ghost.

Anger flared, ectoenergy igniting in the ghost's hands. He'd already dealt with this, damnit! He'd acknowledged and accepted that this was just what he was, a ghost. There was nothing he could do about it; it was just reality. But he could live with it, for lack of a better word. And his friends still loved and accepted him. Jazz still loved and accepted him. But most importantly, his other half finally understood and accepted this. Or Phantom at least thought he had.

The ghost mentally growled, pain prickling again at remembering his human half's wide fear-filled eyes, the flicker of doubt he'd felt from him. What's worse, Fenton had pushed him out. They'd tried to merge and his human self had pushed him out of his own body. Anger flared again and the ghost shook his head. This was ridiculous; he knew this was ridiculous. The fusion had failed, painfully. Fenton pushed him out because they were both in pain and it wasn't working. But...it still hurt so damn badly! How could his human do that after everything? Why couldn't the merge have just worked?!

Phantom's eyes flashed bright, the light in his hands flaring before shooting forward, away from his hand, and impacting a tree. The bark singed. The ghost's eyes widened at the sight, surprised. Earlier today, he would have been alarmed at the display, ashamed that he was capable of something so destructive with so little effort. But now, he finally realized how angry he was. He hadn't really been properly angry since this started, not like this, but now the emotion raged within him, roaring through his veins.

Another ectoblast. Why did all this have to happen? The accident, the portal, the ghost catcher, being split. Why did he go into that portal? Why did he have to die? Why did he have to split himself? A branch fell, neon green energy severing it from the tree trunk. Why did Fenton have to split them? Why did Mom and Dad love his human half but not him? The ghost shivered, something like jealousy running up his spine (except he probably didn't have one, since he was a ghost). He was angry at, jealous of human half, of himself. And it was horrible. Why did Fenton push him out? He thought the human wanted him but this kept happening. They took one step forward, towards accepting themself just to take two steps back.

And Mom and Dad. It's all the same with them. One step forward, two steps back. Gritting his teeth, Phantom shot another blast and a sapling fell. He thought they accepted him, just for them to turn around and deny his very existence. Another blast, scorching a rock. And then! And then, they finally said they believed both of him about being a hybrid. Mom and Dad said they'd help them fuse. But could he really believe that? Chest heaving. More neon green light. Leaves incinerated. What if they changed their minds? Or where just saying that so he and Fenton wouldn't do something 'reckless' and try merging again? What if they were hoping to research him, claiming to find a way to fix them but were really trying to prove that their theory was right?

With a shout of rage, Phantom pushed more power out of his hands. The ectoenergy impacted a tree with a thud. The plant creaked, the trunk splintering. With a crash, the tree fell. The ghost paled, feeling the anger drain out of him. It was replaced by dull shame as his panting breath slowed. He...hadn't meant to do that. Well….he'd been meaning to let off some steam but he hadn't meant to be that brutal. He let himself lose control and…..someone could have been really hurt if he hadn't been alone.

Shoulders falling, the ghost fixed his gaze on his hands, watching the light flicker around his fingers before it blinked out. He sighed, really taking in his surroundings for the first time. The green leafed trees, softly rustling in the breeze. The hoot of an owl and chirping of insects. The beat of wings. A green earthy smell and a soft hint of flowers. Phantom startled slightly, not at the still surprisingly peaceful environment, despite the destruction he just wrought. But at the supernatural clarity of the scene. With his ghostly night vision, every leaf was distinct, the image crisp. He could even see the colors of the flowers growing in the understory.

How hadn't he really noticed this before now? He sighed again. As cool as the enhanced sense was, it also made him sad. Another reminder of this strange situation. He was here, in the middle of the night. Alone. Unable to turn human. Stuck as a ghost, with little idea of why the merging didn't work. And Mom and Dad? Their former (?) disbelief still sent pangs through his core. Could he even hope to trust them again? The ghost put his head in his hands. What was he supposed to do?

* * *

The night was long as Phantom spent it alone. He wandered the woods for a while before taking to the sky again. He flew up, trying to enjoy the star up above the clouds for a while. Then he took to flying around town aimlessly. Almost like he was haunting Amity Park…..Maybe he was, though Phantom didn't know how he felt about that. It felt almost natural for him as a ghost, not that there was really anything natural about being a ghost. He wondered what his human self would think or the whole Danny. The fact that he didn't know made him uneasy.

The night felt like it dragged on into eternity, but eventually it ended as the sun rose, bathing the world in light. The ghost phased back into his bedroom a little while after to find the room empty, the bedsheets ruffled and pajamas discarded. His human self had probably already gone downstairs for breakfast; it was a school day.

That familiar uneasy feeling rose in the ghost's gut. Fenton was downstairs….with Mom and Dad. He should...he should go down and join them, face his parents. But….what if…?

Doubts rose but the boy pushed them down. He'd be fine. He just needed to take the plunge. Taking a calming breath, he phased through the door and floated down the stairs. He stopped at the foot, taking in the scene. His parents, not wearing hazmat for once, and his half-asleep human self sat around the table.

As he quietly crossed the living room, Dad looked up from his breakfast. The man grinned at him. "Danny-boy! You're up!"

Mom also looked up, smiling at him. "Good morning, Sweetie."

Phantom stopped, now in the kitchen. He rubbed the back of his neck, now feeling awkward. "Oh Yeah. Good morning."

Dad's grin shifted slightly, dimming as if he noticed the boy's nervousness. Waving at the boy, he said. "Come on and join us son."

Mom gave him a nodd, still smiling at him comfortingly. She held up a plate of baked goods. "I made some cinnamon rolls. Why don't you grab a plate?"

After a questioning glance at his human half who gave a slight nodd, Phantom opened one of the drawers and grabbed a plate as Mom suggested. He then took a seat at the table across from Fenton, where Jazz normally sat. Speaking of….

"Where's Jazz?" The ghost asked.

Fenton answered through a yawn. "Upstairs. She was in the shower when I came down."

Phantom nodded; now that the human mentioned it, he'd thought he'd heard the shower running upstairs. "She might be a bit. You know how she likes to hog the shower." He tried for a mischievous grin but it fell flat.

"Yeah." His human self added with similar lithelessness. But Phantom couldn't tell if it was because the boy was tired or he was feeling nervousness similar to Phantom's.

With nothing else to say on that subject, the ghost reached for the cinnamon rolls and placed one on his plate.

"Do you want some eggs and bacon too?" Dad offered, passing another plate.

"Sure." Phantom said, though he didn't really want the food. It's not like he could taste it.

But he added two pieces of bacon and a spoonful of eggs anyway. Half-heartedly (half-coreedly? Since he had a core instead of heart right now), he picked at the food, trying to ignore how out of place he felt. This, eating breakfast with Mom and Dad was so mundane. So normal. So human. In another situation, the familiar action would have been comforting, showing that despite the difficulty with Mom and Dad, things were still okay. That life was still going on. But now, it felt like he didn't belong here, doing something so normal. Granted, Mom didn't normally make a hot breakfast on school days; both of his parents actually sitting down together at breakfast was rare also…...Maybe….this scene was a little too normal.

Mom's voice broke Phantom out of his thoughts. "Do you not like the food? I can get you something else."

The ghost looked up, noting Mom's frown. He sighed. "No. It's fine. I'm just not hungry."

His mother's frown deepened. "Are you sure? You must be hungry."

The ghost's stomach dropped. "But I'm not." He swallowed nervously, deciding to explain. "I haven't really been hungry since before the ghost catcher."

"Really?" Dad tilted his head while Mom glanced at him, a mixture of concern and curiosity on the parents' face.

Phantom nodded. "I haven't felt like eating since then and I don't need to." He poked at the eggs sadly. "And I can't even taste this."

"You can't?" Mom questioned. Then she looked at his human half. "Have you had that problem too?" She frowned. "You're eating right now."

Fenton nodded, swallowing the bite he was eating before pointing at his mouth. "These taste buds work just fine and my appetite's normal." He shrugged. "It's probably just a ghost thing."

Mom raised an eyebrow, fixing her gaze on Phantom. "That would make sense. I suppose a ghost wouldn't want or need human food." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How does that work when you and Danny….." She waved, pointing at Fenton. "The other Danny are….?" She trailed off, motioning between the two as if unsure how to refer to their arrangement.

"Fused. Merged. Together. The way we're supposed to be." Fenton supplied.

Mom pursed her lips, expression uncertain, while Dad tilted his head thoughtfully. "Fused." He tried out the word tentatively.

Phantom frowned; he didn't know what to make of his parents' tentativeness. Though had that been a curious gleam in his mother's eye earlier? Looking to change the subject, he side-eyed at his human half. "Speaking of fusing ….uhhh…"

"Last night you said you had a theory about why us fusing didn't work." Fenton continued his thought.

"I do." Mom's thoughtful frown deepened. "I think the cause is the antiecto residue from the ghost catcher."

"Antiecto residue?" Fenton questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. The anti-ecto field in the ghost catcher which separated you two left minute particle traces in your tissues." The woman explained, looking at Fenton. "You two then tried to merge through overshadowing." The ghost stiffened at the wording.

Dad placed a gentle hand on Phantom's arm. "Your mother and I understand what you were trying to do now."

"And we aren't angry about it anymore." Mom smiled at him kindly.

"Okay." Phantom swallowed, trying to believe her words. "But still, why didn't it work?"

"Well do you remember how I explained the anti-ecto field repeals ectoplasm from real world material?" The ghost boy nodded and his mother continued. "That residue must have repealed your ectoplasm from your human counterpart's organic body. Hence why you couldn't merge. Your bodies just aren't compatible right now."

Phantom nodded again, thinking he understood. It seemed to make sense but he didn't know enough about their invention and how being a ghost-human hybrid worked to argue.

At the same time, Fenton's eyes lit up. "So that means if you can get rid of the residue in me, then we can re-fuse."

"Figuring out how to do that will be our first priority." Mom started. "But that's not necessarily the case."

Fenton's hopeful look fell. "Why not?"

"There's a lot we don't know, son." Dad said.

"We don't know exactly what the portal did to make you into a hybrid or how your biology is supposed to work. We don't even have data from before the ghost catcher on you in….ummm." She motioned to Phantom.

"Ghost form?" Phantom raised a brow.

"Ghost form." Mom continued, the words tentative before she spoke with more confidence. "We don't know what your base line should be and if your body….or bodies I suppose…." She wrinkled her nose, not in disgust but a more perplexed expression. "Can return to that baseline without assistance."

"Yeah." Fenton blushed. "I guess we...I...have two bodies right now, so that's kinda weird."

Phantom rolled his eyes. "I think kinda weird is an understatement."

Fenton snickered, more nervous than actually amused. "Really weird then."

Mom and Dad looked between each other, saying nothing to agree or disagree with the statement. Instead Mom continued, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And then there's the more….metaphysical connections between your two forms which you still need to tell us more about."

"You mean sharing emotions and stuff?" Fenton questioned.

"Yes." Mom nodded and then sighed, worry plain on her face. "There's just so much we don't know."

"But we'll figure it out." Dad tried to look confident. "Your mother and I promise we'll do everything in our power to get you back to the way you're supposed to be."

A flash of uncertainty crossed Mom's face, making Phantom's stomach churn. They were 'supposed to be' half ghost and he could almost see the pain on his mom's face from the thought. Then the woman shook her head and swallowed. "Yes. Of course we will." Her expression softened. "We love you Danny. Ghost, human or both at the same time."

The declaration sent comforting warmth through the ghost Danny, mixing anguishingly with the still lingering pain. He glanced down, biting his lip. "I...I love you too."

"Oh sweetie." The ghost looked up, meeting Mom's eyes as the woman's lips turned up in a loving smile.

At the same time, Dad reached over to ruffle his hair. "You're a good kid, Danno." The man smiled, reaching Fenton's head at the same time. "Both of you are."

"Thanks Dad." The human half-smiled. "And you can quit being sappy." He whined with little heat.

Dad said nothing, chuckling instead. Mom shook her head, somewhat amused before clearing her throat and glancing at the clock. She frowned and then looked at Fenton. "Go ahead and finish your breakfast. Jazz will be down soon to drive you to school."

Phantom raised a brow. Yeah, it was Monday and that meant school...at least for his human counterpart. He frowned while Fenton nodded.

"Alright." The human took a large bite of his cinnamon roll and chewed. Then he swallowed and addressed his ghost half. "What about you?"

Phantom's frown deepened and he spread his arms. "Well, I can't go to school like this."

Fenton rolled his eyes. "I know that. I mean, what are you doing today?"

"He can stay here with us." Dad grinned. "Get in some bonding with your folks."

"Jack, we need to get started on finding a way to merge them." Mom put a hand on her chin. "We need to look back over our old data and samples first."

"That's true." Dad nodded. Then his eyes lit up excitedly. "Do you want to help us, Danny-boy?"

"Help you….look over your data?" Phantom raised a brow skeptically.

"Your father has a point, Danny. You can help us research how to re-fuse you and your counterpart. Anything you can tell us about what you've experienced would be helpful."

"Yeah." Phantom sighed. They had a point and it sounded like they actually wanted to listen to him now. "I can do that."

"And I can fill you guys in after school on anything you still have questions about." Fenton added.

Mom nodded. "Thank you sweetie." Then she eyed the two Dannys. "And we'll need new samples as well from both of you."

At that, the ghost paled while Fenton swallowed nervously. "Samples?"

"Yes. We need information about how your biology differs now, compared to the limited information we have about before the ghost catcher." Mom tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We can perform some scans and take some samples from Phantom today while the other Danny is at school."

Somehow Phantom paled farther, the image of needles and scalpels flashing in through his mind. He shook his head. "Do...do I have to?"

Mom's expression softened, eyes widening in understanding. "Sweetie, there's no need to be nervous. We'll go slowly and be gentle."

"No." Phantom emphasized, looking at his human half pleadingly. "Not...not if it's just me."

Fenton bit his lip. "Phantom maybe you should." His voice lowered as the boy spoke more quietly. "They're not going to hurt you."

"But…" The ghost blushed in shame. He...he was being ridiculous. Fenton was right; Mom and Dad wouldn't hurt him. They were trying their best to help and he should be cooperative but….he still didn't know if he could trust them. He wanted to trust them on the one hand, but on the other, he didn't want to, didn't want to risk being hurt again. And he was scared, scared of Mom and Dad. He wasn't supposed to be, he shouldn't be, and he didn't want to be scared but….

A cough sounded, light footsteps entering the kitchen. And it was then the rest of the family noticed Jazz's entrance. "What's going on here?" The girl asked, not unkindly.

Voices explained the discussion but the words were drifting past the ghost, who was busy staring at his hands in shame. He should trust Mom and Dad, do as they ask as a sigh of good faith but…

"Danny." Jazz's soft voice beside Phantom shook him out of his thoughts. "What do you want to do?"

The boy bit his lip. "I...I should help them, give Mom and Dad the samples."

"What do _you_ want to do?" Jazz repeated.

"I...I don't...they'll need my ectoplasm but then means needles and...the lab...it still...I don't like it." He shivered at the thought of the cold sterile walls, the metal tables, a cage. He wasn't an experiment to them, he would never be but...he'd come so close to that reality. And now, it was ridiculous but he was scared.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Phantom suddenly looked up, startled at Mom's statement. He met her eyes, filled with hurt but deeper….guilt and shame. And most importantly sincerity.

"But...you need samples." Phantom argued. He wasn't really scientifically minded, didn't know much about ectobiology but he knew that if Mom and Dad were to figure out how to merge him and Fenton, they needed data. They needed blood and ectoplasm samples.

Jazz smiles kindly. "Would you feel better if I was with you?"

"We can wait until after school." Mom added. "Your sister can sit in so she knows what's going on too. But I promise you will have nothing to worry about." The woman finished, conviction in her voice as she looked at Phantom and then Jazz. The boy was unsure who she was promising- Jazz or him or maybe both.

"And Mom and Dad can get samples from me at the same time. You'll need some of my hair and blood and stuff, right?"

"Yes, we will." Dad answered Fenton's question and then grinned. "You can even bring your friends over if you want. More people to hear me blabber on about ghosts!"

The three teens at the table all groaned in annoyance but Phantom smiled, feeling comforted. "I guess we can do that."

Fenton agreed. "Yeah. Sam and Tucker will want to know how things went. I can probably get them to hang out, for a little while." The boy emphasized the word 'little.'

Mom half-smiled. "I'll be sure to keep your father from becoming too long winded."

Dad's mouth opened in a somewhat mock offended expression. "Me? Long winded? I don't know what you're talking about."

Phantom couldn't help but laugh this time. And authentically. His anxiety finally dwindling, the moment actually felt nice.

Beside the ghost, Jazz also laughed. "Speaking of long winded," she glanced at the clock. "It looks like time got away from us, we need to get going if we're going to make it to school on time, Danny."

Fenton also looked at the clock, his eyes widening. "Dang. We do need to get going." He stood up.

"Make sure you grab everything. Do you both have lunch money?" Mom asked, receiving a nod from both human teens. "Did you finish your homework, Danny"

"Actually, yes we did." Fenton smiled proudly before looking around for his bookbag. "It must be upstairs."

He started turning towards the stairs before meeting Phantom's eyes and subtly moving his head. The ghost raised an eyebrow in question and the human motioned again, towards the stairs more vigorously. Phantom's eyes widened in understanding and he floated out of his chair and towards the human.

The ghost boy could feel the parents' eyes on his back, hear their questioning murmurs as he followed Fenton up the stairs. Soon, they were out of eye and ear shoot and walking (or floating) into their bedroom.

Fenton shut the door. He grabbed his bookbag and started putting his papers into it before, turning towards the ghost. A worried expression painted his face. "Are you okay with staying here alone with Mom and Dad, today?"

Phantom raised a brow, not surprised at the question per say but grateful all the same. "Yeah, They're not going to pressure me into anything."

"But you still feel awkward and kinda tense around them." It wasn't a question but still wasn't sure.

Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah." Then he thought about how Mom and Dad listened to his concerns and tried to make breakfast as normal and comforting as possible, like he, as Danny's ghost half, belonged there. "But it'll get better, I think."

"I hope so. Hopefully they can find a way to fix us." The boy said before muttering. "Because apparently we can't do it ourselves."

The disappointment in the statement gave the ghost pause; Fenton sounded sad as to be expected but there was...something else. Not knowing what to make of it, the ghost asked. "What do you think of Mom's theory about why the merging didn't work?"

A trickle of guilt radiated from the human, farther confusing the ghost. Fenton bit his lip. "I guess it made sense and I can get that the residue is what was hurting both of us. But I..I had to push you out. It didn't just…." He trailed off, doubt coloring his features. He then shook his head. "I don't know enough about….all this to really argue but….. Mom knows what she's talking about, right?"

He sounded falsely confident, grasping at straws. Phantom lightly crossed his arms, silently challenging Fenton to continue, to voice his doubts but the ghost's core clenched as his other half remained silent.

"Danny! We need to go!" Jazz's shout broke through the tense moment, causing Fenton to look up.

"I'll see you after school." The human Danny grabbed his bag and headed out the door.

As soon as the human left, Phantom sagged onto the bed, his core twisting sadly. Maybe….he should have voiced his doubts about Mom's theory before Fenton left, the same doubts Fenton might be sharing. But the words had stayed locked in his throat by the look on his human's face. It all flashed in his mind, a puzzle coming together. The fear on Fenton's face last night, the trickling doubts, the surges of guilt. All of the tension before their failed merge and finally Fenton pushing him away. The Antiecto residue wasn't the only reason fusing didn't work.

He'd thought they were past this and things seemed to slowly be getting better with Mom and Dad. They had a real chance to make peace with them, work on rebuilding their hurt relationship. But would he ever be able to make peace with himself? That was the real question.

Note:And that's the update. If you have any comments or questions, let me know. I really appreciate all of the support I've gotten from this story and love hearing from you all. I don't know when the next chapter will be up since chapter 17 has been giving me a lot of trouble but talking to my sister about what's coming up in this story helped. So hopefully chapter 17 will come sooner than later.


	17. Chapter 17

As Fenton walked through Casper High's front doors with his shoulders dropped, his eyes focused down. Treading towards his locker, the boy tried to ignore the guilt still churning in his gut and the thoughts and worries swirling through his head. Arriving at the locker, he stopped and raised his hand to turn the lock. The image of his other half, frowning with crossed arms, passed through his thoughts. In the bedroom this morning, when they were talking about the failed fusion, maybe he should have voiced his doubts;That the merging failed because of him.

The boy looked up, taking in the scene around him. Paulina and Star gossiping at their lockers. Mikey, Lester, and Nathan carrying their band instruments and excitingly chatting about some tv show. Dash and Kwan throwing a football at the end of the hall. Ms. Teslaff scowling at the jocks before yelling at them to cut it out.

Pulling the door open, Fenton sighed. It all looked so….normal. Like any other school day with students and teachers going on about their lives. With everything that happened over the last few days, Fenton could hardly believe that he was even here, acting like everything was "normal". Like ghosts didn't exist and the portal didn't work. Like he wasn't a human-ghost hybrid who was split in half and still unsure if Mom and Dad accepted him. How could everything seem so normal when his life had fallen apart?

"Danny!" Yelled Sam and Tucker as they walked around the corner shaking the boy out of his thoughts.

"Hey guys." responded Fenton listlessly. He forced a friendly smile in greeting.

The two friends stopped in front of the boy, their happy expressions morphing into deep concern. Tucker's lips turned down. "Dude, you look awful."

Sam's face took on a similar expression, her eyes widening in worry. "Did you sleep at all?"

Danny yawned, tilting his head. Now that she mentioned it, he was really tired. How could he be so tired and so tense at the same time? And had he slept at all? He must have since he had….. Nightmares.

_A forest, dark but the sight crisp. His own gloved hands in front of him, lit with neon green energy. Anger, rage running through his veins. Ectoenergy roaring forward. Tree branches falling. Why did Mom and Dad love his human half but not him? Jealously. A blackened tree trunk. Why did Fenton push him out? Leaves burning. How was he supposed to ever trust his parents again? What if he was just an experiment to them? An enraged shout. Radioative green impacts the tree trunk, splintering, burning, consuming. Creaking. A crash._

_The roar of thunder, like drums echoing forebodingly around him , inside of his head. Dark Skies. Black, rolling clouds. Lightning- unnaturally green- streaking across the skin. Eyes widen. He shivers, muscles tense. The smell of ozone. Another boom of thunder. He doubles over covering his ears, face screwed up in pain? Fear?_

_Green flashes in front of his face. Metal. He's inside a metal tube, his hand on something on the wall. An unnatural chill. Whirling, mechanical grinding. around, inside his head. All his hair standing on end. Neon green (like his eyes, his ectoenergy) growing at the end of the tube. He's frozen. He needs to run. He has to escape. Danny! Get out of here, you idiot! But he can't move. The smell of ozone and citrus and old pennies. Lightning flashes. Then Pain! Is this what Death feels like?_

Fingers snapped in front of his face. "Danny?"

Fenton blinked. He was in the hallway at school. That's right. He's at school, not still asleep in bed. Or taking his anger out on innocent trees (Sam would be pissed about that) or trapped in a thunderstorm or reliving (redying) the accident. Huhh…he hadn't had a nightmare about the portal since before the ghost catcher.

"Danny? Are you with us?" Sam snapped right in front of his eyes again.

The boy shook his head, finally forcing the thoughts away. He cracked a smile, one he most definitely didn't feel. "I'm only half here, I think. The rest of me's still at home."

Sam rolled her eyes before her expression became concerned.

At the same time, Tucker frowned thoughtfully. "You mean that literally?" Fenton nodded. "So you and...Phantom." The technogeek whispered the name. "you guys didn't…." He trailed off, making vague hand motions.

"No, there's still….two of me." Fenton frowned at the reminder.

Sam raised a brow. "So the other you is at home with your parents?"

Fenton nodded again in confirmation. Then Tucker said. "Speaking of your parents, sorry I couldn't come over to help you tell them."

"I wish I could have been there too." Sam gritted her teeth. "My parents were being so stupid. I tried to fight with them to get out of it but…." The girl shook her head. "But anyway, how did telling your parents go?"

The human Danny frowned. "Okay, I guess?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't get shot at or locked in a cage so it could have gone worse." Fenton forcefully chuckled.

Tucker's jaw dropped while Sam's expression darkened, as she and Tucker looked between each other in disbelief.

"Please tell me that wasn't actually something that could happen." Tucker pleaded.

"Well…." Fenton's eyes fell to the floor as a hand hovered unconsciously over his abdomen. "Mom...Mom did shoot Phantom on Friday."

The boy's voice was quiet, anxiety churning in his gut. He hadn't thought about that much since it happened and he hadn't really talked about it with Mom and Dad. But with Sam and Tucker staring at him in shock, like they just really realized that Mom and Dad shot him, the memory and the pain it brought came flooding back to his mind. That really happened. This was his life and his mom really shot him.

Sam took a step forward, her hand gripping his arm tightly. "Are you safe with your parents?" The words were said as quietly as Sam could probably manage through her gritted teeth. But Fenton just blinked at her, not understanding. She repeated. "Are you….is Phantom safe at home with your parents right now?"

The boy's eyes widened in understanding. He swallowed. "Yes." He answered with complete confidence. "Mom and Dad won't hurt him…..And Mom is really sorry she...well you know." Mom hadn't said as much, except in a panicked, tearful ramble after they told her on Sunday morning. But he'd seen the guilt on her face, again and again.

"Are you sure that you're safe with them? Because we can help you." Sam insisted. "You can stay at my house if you need to."

"Or mine. You're always welcome. If you don't feel safe, you shouldn't stay with them." Tucker added.

Fenton shook his head, looking down. "No. I'm safe. Mom and Dad….They love me, all of me."

Even as Fenton said the words, they stung. Despite what he...Phantom...they'd said last night, in the forest, in his dream, Fenton knew Mom and Dad did love his ghost half. Phantom knew that too. Or at least Fenton was pretty sure the ghost did. But all the same, Mom and Dad's love made the fact that they'd hadn't listened and wouldn't believe them about being the same person hurt all the more.

"Danny." Sam's voice turned quieter, almost uncharacteristically gentle. "I'm sure your parents love you, but if they're hurting you, even unintentionally-"

"No." Fenton cut the girl off. "They believe me and Phantom about being the same person now. And they're trying. They're really trying, Sam."

Sam's brow unfurrowed as she took a step back, studying him. Something in the set of her eyes suggested she believed him, or wanted to. At least, until Tucker spoke up. "What do you mean they believe you _now_?" He carefully emphasized the last word.

Fenton paled as Sam's eyes narrowed. " Danny. What do you mean 'now'?"

Human Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Well….we told them yesterday morning. And they both got really upset but we thought they got that Phantom was me. But… ghost me heard them talking last night and they thought...he was a ghostly echo and that me and Phantom weren't the same person. And Phantom tried to explain but they just….weren't listening and wouldn't believe a word we said." Fenton gritted his teeth, an edge of annoyance coming out in his voice before he swallowed.

But Sam interjected before he could finish. "I can't believe them!" She gritted her teeth. "No, I can. Just...Parents! They never listen. Always think they know best. Why won't they just...uggg." She glared, making a vaguely frustrated sound. "I should give them a piece of my mind."

Fenton shook his head. "Sam, it's fine."

"Fine! Fine! How can you say that?" The girl demanded.

"It's fine." The boy said, more forcefully. "Jazz yelled at them and got them to listen. They said they'd help me figure out how to re-fuse. And you should have seen them this morning. They were trying so hard to make everything normal. And they were super eager to get samples to start figuring this out but Jazz and both of me got them to wait until this afternoon and they didn't push it."

Sam spread her arms. "And so it's just fine?! We've all heard the things they've said about ghosts. They shot you, Danny!"

"Sam!" Both boys hissed at her increase in volume.

But she ignored them. "And then when you finally worked up the courage to tell them, they won't even listen and stomp all over your feelings!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Fenton argued. "I know what they've done. But...but they're trying to do better." Last night or even earlier this morning, the boy would have agreed with Sam completely. But now….the boy actually wasn't sure why he was defending them. Maybe he was too tired to be angry with them right now. Maybe he was okay complaining about his parents himself but not at listening to his friend insult them.

"So you trust them, just like that?" Sam crossed her arms.

"I didn't say I trust them." The boy muttered, crossing his arms. "But...I want things to get better with them so I have to believe they're at least trying."

Sam blew out a breath, saying nothing in response. Silence lingered for a moment until Tucker interjected. "What do you mean, figure out how to re-fuse?"

Fenton paled, swallowing as strange nervousness swelled again. "Oh. I didn't mention that yet?"

"No you didn't." Sam raised a brow at his change in tone.

"We tried merging last night and….." The boy took a breath, shoulders falling. "It didn't work."

Sam's hard expression morphed in wide-eyed concern. "It didn't. Why?"

Fenton wrung his hands, unable to keep the uncertainty from his voice. "Mom had this theory, something about anti-ecto residue."

"But you don't really believe that, do you?" The girl said, more of a statement than a question. She studied human Danny, as if prompting him to continue.

The boy paled farther under her gaze until the bell rang moments later. The tension in his shoulders lessened infinitesimally as he sighed in relief. "See you guys later. I need to get to class or Lancer's gonna have my head."

"You can't just leave us hanging like that, dude." Tucker said.

Fenton didn't reply, instead grabbing one last thing from his locker and closing the door.

"Come on, Danny. You know you can tell us anything." Sam's plea prickled at the boy's heart painfully but he wouldn't be swayed.

Instead he turned to face them. "I know I can. But…." Gripping the straps of his bookbag nervously, he looked down shamefully. "This is personal. I….I just….I can't." Sam and Tucker said nothing but Fenton could feel their concerned eyes on him. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

Human Danny turned to walk away, only to be stopped by Tucker's voice. "If you don't want to tell us, it's okay. Just...don't shut us out again."

The mixture of understanding and disappointment in his friend's voice made Fenton's stomach flop.

"We'll see you later, Danny." Sam said. mildly.

With a wave, Fenton walked away, trying to push away the shame he felt. He'd tell them more at lunch but not...that. Why he couldn't re-fuse, couldn't really be Danny, their real friend, because he was still scared of being half ghost. He was supposed to have passed this, to be comfortable with who and what he was. He should be strong and confident, understanding what was going on. But how was he supposed to help Mom and Dad be comfortable with how he's changed if he himself wasn't?

* * *

After Fenton had left for school, Phantom stayed in their room for several moments. He sat on the bed as his core churned with sadness. He balled his fists in the sheets, eyes fixed on a somehow very interesting stain on the carpet. The boy tilted his head, studying the spot. He should probably go down stairs and finish breakfast with Mom and Dad, even if he wasn't going to eat. Stop wallowing in his problems, like how he wished he was riding to school with Jazz right now and would get to talk to Sam and Tucker in class and at lunch. His friends were definitely going to ask Fenton about everything that happened this weekend. What was he going to tell them? And what would they think about all this?

"Hey kiddo. What're you up to?" Dad's voice, coming from the open doorway (Huh, Fenton must have left it open when he rushed out), cut through the thoughts.

Phantom looked up, his shoulders still low. "Oh. I'm just thinking."

There was a beat of silence before Dad asked. "Sad thoughts?" The boy nodded but said nothing, turning his head back down again. The floorboards creaked as the man took a step forward. "Things are going to get better, son. Just you wait. You'll blink and you'll be back to normal."

The ghost shivered at that word, wrapping his arms around himself. "I'm not normal."

More footsteps and Phantom could sense Dad standing in front of him. Not looming but leaning down to be near eye level. "You'll be back to what's normal for you, Danno. I know it's different than before but that's okay." He could almost hear the attempt at a comforting smile. "None of us Fentons are really normal anyway."

Ghost Danny's lip twitched as some emotion pricked his core. It was ironic. He'd started thinking of and calling his other half Fenton. As if he only deserved to be called a Fenton if he was human. And he was Phantom as if he was really just a ghost. But really even after everything, like both of him were Danny, he, as just the ghost half, was still a Fenton. He still belonged as a part of this family. He couldn't help but be comforted by the thought.

Dad obviously did not interpret the silence as such. A large hand gently touched Phantom's shoulder and when Dad talked it was pleadingly. "I promise, I will do anything I have to make sure you come out of this okay. Better than okay." Dad's hand squeezed tentatively. "It kills me to see you like this. So sad and anxious. I'd give anything to see you smile again."

Another burst of complex emotions went through his core. He felt vulnerable, very vulnerable and the ghost wasn't sure he liked Dad getting a glimpse of what he was feeling so clearly. Then again, he'd shared more of how he was feeling this weekend than he had for months. And a part of him felt guilty for making Dad feel bad too. Last night he wouldn't have really cared but now he hated that his parents were hurting because of him. On some level, he wanted to smile and go back to acting like everything was okay. But they were passed that. So he met in the middle, choosing to accept the comfort, even if it wasn't making him feel that much better.

Looking up, the boy met his father's eyes. Frown still planted on his face, he wrapped one arm around the man's shoulders. "Thanks Dad."

"Sure thing, Danny-boy." Dad patted his back before pulling away. "Your mom and I will be in the lab if you need us." The man grinned. "No school and you're not helping in the lab. Enjoy your day off, you lucky duck."

That earned a half-smile from Phantom, even if it was mainly in response to Dad's goofy expression.

The half-smile didn't last very long, however as Phantom was left alone again with nothing to do. He turned on the laptop. Looked over social media, visited the DOOM wiki and a forum he hadn't been on in months. Boring. He played on his old Sims save. Killing Sims after dying himself was not fun. Opened Youtube, watched a movie trailer, the breakdown of the movie trailer, criticism of said trailer. Boring. He closed the laptop. He tidied the room, even made his bed. He flipped through his astronomy books.

Nothing was appealing when all he'd done for the past week was figure out idle ways to entertain himself. He finally had free time to do whatever he wanted but he really wanted to hang out with Sam and Tucker. Or find something useful and meaningful to do. The ghost bit his lip. Maybe he should take up the offer to look at the old data with Mom and Dad. It would help them find a solution quicker. But he still didn't want to be around them. He didn't think they would treat him as a research subject. They would probably try really hard, too hard, to make him comfortable. But it would be so awkward and the lab made him nervous.

He was just going to be bored then, wasn't he? Or… Phantom eyed an unused notebook on his desk. Mom and Dad did need some information he could give them. And if they were busy working on how to re-fuse him….shouldn't he help?

The ghost opened the notebook and started writing.

* * *

Fenton sat at his desk in math class, frustratedly trying to work through his worksheet. If he could finish this before class ended, he won't have to do it at home. The boy scribbled down a number, frowning. This had made a lot more sense last night, when he and Phantom talked it through. But now he was struggling to focus again. Fenton huffed. Probably the ongoing effects of being split. Like how he was still so tired and getting weird bursts of boredom. Or maybe the lack of sleep over the weekend and school's normal boringness was just getting to him.

Sighing, Fenton glanced up at the clock. It was only two minutes until class ended and he could go to lunch. The boy put his pencil down and rubbed his eyes tiredly. There's no way he'd finish before lunch. He'd just have to do the worksheet at home. He stared into space for a bit until the bell rang. Then with the other eager students, Fenton made his way to the cafeteria.

Getting into the lunch line, Fenton grabbed his food, luckily a normal though still mediocre school lunch. He handed over his lunch money to a fortunately human lunch lady, receiving some change back. He sat down at his normal table where Sam and Tucker were already talking.

Seeing Fenton arrive, Sam's eyes lit up, her smile taking on a mischievous grin. "Hey Danny. Remember that time Tucker got kicked out of the Bath and Body in the mall?"

Fenton raised a brow in questioning while Tucker put his head in his hands. "That's not what happened."

"Yes it is." Sam pointed with her fork. "You were hitting on the saleswoman."

"Oh yeah." Fenton nodded, remembering the story. "You wanted her to help you find that manliest fragrance to cover up your BO." He grinned. "You could say you were having a scent problem."

This earned a laugh from Sam. "I think he has more of a sense problem."

"Hey! I just wanted help with a legitimate problem." Tucker argued.

"So that's why you got up to the counter with one hundred dollars worth of stuff and tried to pay with monopoly money." Sam raised an eyebrow.

"The lady dragged you out by your ear." Fenton snorted before his smile widened. "He couldn't solve his scent problem because of his…. cent problem. " Grin widening, the boy pulled out the change still in his pocket.

The boy's eyes lit up as he laughed at his own pun. He leaned over, happily enjoying the feeling. This, joking with Sam and Tucker, was perfect. One of the only things that hadn't changed after the accident. He could always count on his friends to laugh with him. Except….

The boy looked up, noticing the silence. His friends weren't laughing or even groaning in fake annoyance at his puns. Instead they were staring at him with worry.

"What is it?" He asked, now blushing self consciously.

Tucker titled his head. "Dude, you're still with us?"

"What?" Fenton questioned again.

"Your eyes are glowing." Sam said quietly.

"Oh." Fenton's brow furrowed as the cold feeling in his eyes finally registered. He whispered. "Phantom."

A double image rose through his perception. His hands on the cafeteria table, lunch tray in front of him. His hands in his lap, one gripping a pencil, gaze fixed on a notebook filled with his hand written notes for Mom and Dad. "Dang, good idea. Why didn't I think of that?" Danny wasn't sure which mouth said that. Maybe both. His brow then furrowed. "I did think of that, duh."

"Who are you talking to?" Tucker asked.

Danny looked back up, fixing his gaze on his friends. (Or was it Fenton fixing his gaze and Phantom seeing through him? Or did both act as one? They couldn't tell.) "Myself."

The answer just deepened the confused and concerned looks on Sam and Tucker's faces. "What's going on?" Sam hissed.

"Ghost me's seeing through these eyes." He pointed at the still glowing orbs.

"But he's at your house?" Tucker questioned.

"Yeah." A shrug. "He was making notes about what's been happening to us since the ghost catcher."

Sam hummed in thought. "Are we talking to both of you right now?"

Fenton nodded. "We can both see and hear you so yeah. But…." He glanced down at his hands. "It's just Fenton me talking unless Phantom me wants to….." He looked up, smiling at his friends. "It's good to see you guys." Maybe it was Phantom saying the words. Maybe Fenton was relaying the message. Maybe it didn't matter because Fenton and Phantom were both Danny.

He blinked and the neon green light faded out, leaving just Fenton with no awareness of what his other self was thinking or doing. Sam and Tucker were still staring at him. Fenton blushed. "Sorry. That was weird."

His friends looked between each other, before Tucker waved a hand. "Nah. We saw what it looked like from the other end. And now that you know what's happening, maybe you're more in tune with it."

Fenton tilted his head in thought. That was maybe true. Now that he knew about it, he had more control whenever that seeing double thing happened. It was a little scary that he was getting used to the idea and practice of having two bodies.

Deciding to answer, the human Danny frowned. "Maybe. But I still really don't like it."

"That's probably a good thing." Sam said, taking a bite of her wrap. "It means you want to fix things."

"Yeah." Fenton nodded; that was true, despite how the merging failed because of him. How could he want something so badly but still be afraid of it? The boy pushed down that thought (He shouldn't still be scared. Why was he scared?).

The boy took a bit of his cold pizza and swallowed. "And speaking of fixing things, Mom and Dad are going to help us figure out how to do that."

"And you believe them?" Sam asked, arms crossed. Her tone wasn't as prickly as it would have been this morning but there was still a hint of skepticism.

"I do." Fenton replied, only mildly confident. He believed they wanted to help but just yesterday, their ideas of helping were very different from his. "They're going to look over their data from before the ghost catcher. And…." He swallowed, nervousness rising. "Get some blood and hair samples and stuff after school." The boy rubbed the back of his neck. "I...uhhh….was actually going to ask if you guys wanted to come over and hang out and do homework after."

Sam cracked a half smile, uncrossing her arms. "You mean be moral support because you're afraid of needles."

"I wouldn't say I'm afraid of needles." The boy muttered into his drink.

"What's that?" Sam raised a brow, challengingly.

"I'm not afraid of needles." Fenton muttered a little more loudly.

"There's no reason not to be afraid of needles!" Tucker added, voice slightly higher in squeamishness. "You're not supposed to be poked by sharp stuff, man!"

"Sometimes it's necessary, Tucker." Sam rolled her eyes.

"Sticking metal into your skin to inject something in or pull liquid, your very life blood out?! Really?!" The technogeek shook his head.

"They only take a few drops of blood." The goth girl pointed sharply. "And don't make me lecture you on why we need vaccines!"

"Guys!" Fenton cut in before Tucker could argue. "You're just making me more nervous."

Sam flushed, looking apologetic. "Sorry, Danny."

"Sorry." Tucker muttered a second later.

"I don't know about Tucker." The girl glared at the other boy. "But I'll come over after school."

"I'm in too." Tucker crossed his arms.

"Thanks guys." Fenton offered a smile. "Mom promised to keep Dad on track so hopefully they won't be too bad."

"And I was looking forward to your dad's story about how he grew up in a log cabin and had to eat a horse." Sam quipped, laying on the saracism thick.

Fenton snorted and so did Tucker.

"Hey guys, remember that time…" Tucker went into a story about one of the sadly numerous times their group had been dragged into one of Jack Fenton's famous ghost rants. And though he'd normally be embarrassed, Fenton half-smiled, happy for friends that stuck with him through the craziness.

* * *

The school day could not end soon enough, Phantom thought. A tiny glimpse of Fenton's conversation with Sam and Tucker was not enough. The ghost looked down at the notebook still in his lap before jotting down what just happened; he'd been focused on writing before sudden laughter shook his shoulders. He'd blinked and seen the tables at school, the image slightly distorted and far away but very real. Then he was looking at Sam and Tucker and felt Fenton's confusion, his own confusion over their reactions before he and Fenton realized what was happening.

And it was still so strange. Seeing and hearing through Fenton, the other part of himself from a distance. Speaking through Fenton to his friends. And in that short moment, when the gap between him and his other half was lesser, actually communicating with Fenton through bursts of thoughts, emotions, and images. It felt very much like last night had, when Fenton came down stairs. And curiously….

Phantom gasped, realizing something. Closing his eyes, he focused on the recent memory.

"_You wanted her to help you find that manliest fragrance to cover up your BO." He grinned. "You could say you were having a scent problem."_

He remembered the puns and conversation with Sam and Tucker at lunch. He remembered grinning and pulling the change out of his pocket. He remembered even though he hadn't been there physically. He hadn't been seeing through Fenton then but Phantom remembered as if he was the one thinking and acting and speaking. The ghost smiled as a dim hope welled in his mind. This felt like a good sign of his and his other half's ability to re-fuse. But at the same time, it stung as he wondered if this meant Fenton remembered his conversation with Mom and Dad last night. Speaking of Mom and Dad….

Distantly, the clang of the heavy metal door to the lab closing met the ghost's ears. He could almost make out the sounds of his parents' voices. They'd probably come upstairs for lunch. Phantom bit his lip, debating. He was done with his notes and they weren't in the lab, which still gave him chills. They'd be happy and grateful to read what he had to say, right? He should go down and give them the notes.

Registering the queasy unease in his gut, the ghost huffed. He put down the pencil and closed the notebook. This was ridiculous. He shouldn't be anxious to just go down stairs and give him parents a notebook. Mind made up, Phantom floated to his feet before thoughtlessly phasing through the closed door and floating down the stairs.

The ghost boy stopped before crossing the living room. Mom and Dad were facing away from him. They stood at the kitchen counter, making sandwiches and talking to each other. Dad said something, eliciting a laugh and playful poke in the side from Mom. Phantom bit his lip, anxiety rising again. The scene was so normal, strangely relaxed, and happy; again, the boy felt like an intruder, like he wandered onto a mundane scene only meant for the living. But he pushed down the feeling, instead silently floating forward until he was at the entrance to the kitchen.

Ghost Danny spoke, keenly noting the echo in his voice. "Mom. Dad."

Mom whipped around, a brief startled cry on her lips before her eyes fell on him. "Danny! You scared me." Her breath was fast, a hand placed over her heart. "You're as quiet as a…." Her already wide eyes widened as she trailed off.

"A ghost!" Dad, who'd also turned around, added with an inappropriate amount of excitement.

Phantom flinched at the outburst as Mom rebuked. "Jack!" Shock left her paled face as her eyes shifted from her child to her husband.

"What?" The man shrugged. "It's the truth."

Phantom flinched again, tensing as he looked between the two. Mom, normally one for a quick remark, just gaped at Dad silently.

Trying to break the quickly growing awkward silence, the ghost coughed needlessly before muttering. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

Mouth closing, Mom's expression softened. "It's fine sweetie."

Dad smiled. "I'm just impressed you managed to sneak up on us. How'd you avoid that creaky step on the stairs?"

How had he done that? The boy looked down, noting how his feet weren't touching the ground. Eyes widening, he blushed as Mom and Dad's gazes fell on the same space. He looked up again, rubbing the back of his neck. "I...uhhhh….floated."

Mom's brow furrowed, a frown on her face as she pointed. "You've been doing that this whole time?"

"Yeeees." Phantom answered warily as he raised an eyebrow. Was that question disapproving, uncomfortable, or innocently curious? He couldn't tell.

Dad tapped his chin, humming thoughtfully while Mom continued frowning at the ghost causing Phantom to back up almost imperceptibly as he eyed his mother cautiously.

"What's it feel like?" Dad suddenly asked.

Startled eyes widening, Phantom fixed his gaze on Dad. "What's what feel like?"

"What's floating feel like?" The man clarified.

"Oh." The ghost's expression softened. That tone was so innocently curious, it sent a small wave of comfort through his core. He swiveled slightly in the air as he contemplated. "It's…..I feel really light."

"Really?" The excited smile on Dad's face encouraged the boy to continue.

"Yeah. It's like...when you go swimming and you just float there and everything feels weightless." Phantom's eyes widened at the statement. "It's probably like what being in zero G feels like." The ghost started at his hands for a second, realization striking him. He'd always wanted to be an astronaut, to know what floating in space, free of gravity felt like. And he'd been living...err...experiencing that reality for the past few days without it really dawning on him.

Another question distracted him from that thought. "How do you move around? You don't look like you're swimming or push off of things."

"Huhh." Phantom hummed thoughtfully as he swiveled in the air again. "I just...think about it, I think. Like I just think about moving forward or back." He floated a foot forward before floating back. "Or side to side." He floated towards the left. "Or turning around." He spun around, before facing Mom who wore a slightly curious look and Dad who was beaming.

"Wow, Danno. That's something right there." Dad exclaimed.

The boy couldn't help but grin at his father's approval. "That's not all I can do." He could actually properly fly. Intending to show the adults, the boy shot up, coming to hit the ceiling far too soon.

"Umph." Phantom made an undignified, startled sound as his head and shoulders impacted. Grin disappearing, the ghost rubbed his head lightly. "Ow."

Mom's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

The boy blushed, embarrassed. "Yeah."

Dad raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"My pride's the only thing that's bruised." The ghost smiled, sheepishly.

Dad chuckled as Mom's expression betrayed her of amusement, the corner of her lips turning up. Phantom's shoulders relaxed at the display. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. And moments later, Mom joined with her own chuckles.

Ghost Danny smiled, tension leaving him. This felt good, smiling and laughing with Mom and Dad like everything was okay. Like him floating into the ceiling was just a normal part of life now.

But the moment didn't last, the laughter eventually dying down. Mom wiped watering eyes before her gaze fixed on her son. Her eyes traveled down, falling on the space between his feet and the ground again and her smile fell. "So the floating is something that just...happens. It's...automatic."

It wasn't a question as much as an observation of a fact. Something about tone made Phantom's stomach flop uncomfortably. "Yeah. I just do it." Mom raised a brow, silently asking him to continue. The boy sighed. "It's easy. It feels natural right now. Like walking or breathing when I'm….. human." He almost choked on the word, forcing it out before he really realized what he was saying.

But all the same the word fell heavy, focusing the room into silence as even Dad's smile fell. The boy looked down, dread clenching his core as he tried to not panic. Mom and Dad knew he wasn't human right now. They could see it, right in front of them. They'd just been laughing about his powers acting up. So why did he feel like he said something taboo?

"I suppose that makes sense." Mom broke the silence. "We know your body works differently when you're a….when you're like this."

Despite clearly trying to hide her discomfort, it still leaked through, pricking Phantom's core. Why couldn't she just say he was a ghost? That's just what he was. It's not like it made him bad. He was still the same Danny, the same boy they raised. Floating was just natural to him now. And he...he wasn't wrong or unnatural or broken because he was a ghost. A tiny sliver of doubt slashed his core, despite the platitudes.

Looking down, Phantom held the notebook, which hadn't left his hands since coming downstairs, close to his chest. He should maybe say something but he now wanted to run back up to his room, instead of floating here and being gawked at with uncomfortable and pitying looks.

"What have you got there, Danny?" At Dad's soft question, Dad saying his name, the boy's gaze flitted back up. Dad was pointing at the notebook, a curious look on his face.

"Oh." Ghost Danny swallowed, forcing his thoughts to reason he came downstairs in the first place. "It's….uhhh… for you guys." Mom raised a brow so the ghost continued. "I wrote down what's happened since the ghost catcher. At least what I've experienced. Since I figured this would be better and more complete than telling you in person."

Mom's expression softened, surprised gratefulness lighting her features as Phantom held the notebook out to her. She grabbed it before half-smiling at the boy. "Thank you, Danny." She flipped through the pages, scanning the words. Her eyes lit up with interest. Then she closed the book, taking a step forward. Her hand tentatively lingered over his arm for a moment before gently patting it. "This will be very helpful, sweetie."

Dad offered a slight smile. "Yeah, Danno. That was a good idea."

The complement was one he'd literally given himself thirty minutes ago. But he blushed anyway. "It was nothing. I want you guys to know what's happening so you can put me back together. Not that I'm really broken but I like breathing and eating and...having a heartbeat is nice. So...yeah...ummm."

"Danny." Dad interjected, looking slightly pitying. "We get it son." He pointed back towards the counter. "Anyway, your mother and I were making lunch if you want to sit with us."

"But I don't...I'm not…" He muttered.

Mom swallowed. "You don't have to try to eat. I know you don't….need to." She wrinkled her nose slightly at the last two words. "Just talk with us for a bit."

The boy looked between the two, awkwardness and discomfort plain on their faces. In truth, the feelings must have been plain on his face as well. The boy swallowed. Part of him still wanted to go back to his room to escape the strange feelings. But….Mom and Dad wanted to talk. And the request felt different than if they'd asked for both of him to stay.

"Come on, Danno. You can spare 15 minutes to tell your folks what's going on in your life…..afterlife?" Though still uncertain, Dad smiled like he told a great joke.

They wanted to talk to just him, just Phantom, just the ghost. Just the new part they didn't understand and were uncomfortable with. (But he...they...Danny was, were still uncomfortable with this too, weren't they?) But they wanted to understand…..Dad wouldn't have asked about the floating with such enthusiasm if he didn't want to understand.

Phantom half-smiled. "Half-life, maybe?"

Dad took a step forward before turning to put an arm around his son. "So you're Scroudinger's boy now?"

Mom looked horrified but said nothing, probably because her mind was frozen in shock.

The boy snorted despite himself; he did get his love of corny jokes from his dad. He then shrugged in response to the question. "Maybe?"

The man smiled, ruffling his hair. "You're _my_ boy, all the same."

Getting over her shock, the woman rolled her eyes. "Sit down you two. Don't you want to eat, Jack?"

"My sandwich!" Dad jogged forward, taking his highly stacked sandwich before raiding the pantry for chips, cookies, and a can of soda.

Moments later, the three family members sat down. Dad took a large bit of his sandwich. He chewed, swallowed, and then said. "I saw something on the news this morning about a new Mars Rover launching."

Mom raised a brow. "It's called the Perseverance, right?"

Phantom's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I read about that last week. It's supposed to launch on the 30th! It has a small helicopter that's supposed to drop from its belly two months after it lands. I saw this video….."

The boy continued, rambling excitedly. His eyes seemed to flash intermittently as he felt his other half getting glimpses of the conversation before shutting himself off to focus on class (definitely a good choice for their grades). But Phantom was happy all the same, talking to Mom and Dad. Not about being a ghost and all the pain and confusion he'd gone through but about normal things like his love of space, upcoming movies, school, friends, and old family moments.

"I completely forgot about that joke, that time we went to Alicia's." Mom laughed. "Remember what grandpa said?"

Phantom moved his fingers into a V. "It's….it's because there's more geese on...on one side that the other." The boy tried to hold back laughter, repeating the punchline. "None of us could tell he was telling a joke, his voice was so flat."

"Exactly, exactly Danny. I can't even believe…." As Mom continued reminiscing, Phantom smiled. There'd be time for the hard conversation about his ghostliness later. But now…..he wanted normalcy, to feel like he was still himself, still Danny Fenton despite everything. And to know that Mom and Dad saw and understood that too.

And as they smiled and laughed together like a family, he knew they did.


	18. Chapter 18

As Fenton walked to his locker to collect his belongings before going home, he could feel that his ghost half was happy. He wasn't sure what happened with Phantom and their parents after lunch. Well….that wasn't completely true; he'd caught glimpses of what happened.

Some initial nervousness and discomfort at the beginning of the conversation.

_Fenton rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip, while trying to finish his lunch. _

_Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you okay?"_

_The boy blushed, putting his arm down. "Yeah. I'm fine."_

A few moments where his head and shoulders hurt like he hit his head on something.

_Fenton suddenly yelped and rubbed his head in the hallway. Star, who'd been walking by with Paulina and Valerie, side-eyed him before turning her attention back to her friends._

Slow building happiness and laughter.

_His heart felt light, laughter building in his chest. Mom's smiling face flashed in his head, his own gloved hands waving in front of his face while he excitedly told some story. Fenton wanted to laugh too but managed to stop the sound, muffling it with a cough._

Mom and Dad had spent an hour at least just talking to his ghost half, but the human managed to block it out.

_Fenton pinched his eyes closed, carefully controlling his breathing. He needed to be right here, in school, taking his biology quiz, not at home with Mom and Dad, though the fact that they were treating Phantom like they would have treated Fenton, like they would have treated the whole Danny, was making him so relieved and happy. A mental nudge to Phantom and one received back. Something like a door closed in Phantom's and then Fenton's portions of their mind, leaving only a sliver open._

The fact that they could actually control some of the emotions, images, and memories going between their two selves was strange. It frightened Fenton; It could become a wedge, farther dividing his ghost half and himself. He never wanted to see Phantom as something truly separate from him again, not after being afraid of his powers and seeing that part of himself as a disease.

But then again, in biology, hadn't they just learned about the brain? And while there were different parts that did different things, didn't those parts talk to each other so your body could do what it was supposed to? Maybe that wasn't too different from him and Phantom, as two parts of a whole.

Closing his locker down, Fenton forced those thoughts out of his mind. He spotted his sister coming down the hall towards him.

"Hey Danny." She stopped in front of him, a concerned, though slightly teasing look on her face. "Are you ready to face the music?"

Picking up his bookbag, the boy half-smiled at her. "I think….it's going to be okay."

Her brow raised ever so slightly, probably surprised at the lack of worry in the statement. "Really?"

Fenton nodded. "I'll let other me tell you about it at home but...I don't think we need to worry too much about this afternoon."

"So you're not worried?" Jazz crossed her arms. "Even though they're definitely going to be needles."

"Why does everyone keep implying I'm afraid of needles?" The boy frowned.

"You are afraid of needles." His sister deadpanned, earning a glare from Fenton. She put her hands up, as if she were innocent. "Hey, I remember when you were a little kid and you'd scream bloody murder whenever you got a shoot. You'd only stop crying when Mom promised you ice cream."

"I was four, Jazz." Fenton huffed, annoyedly.

"Are you going to need ice cream this time too?" The girl grinned, her tone an odd mixture of teasing and concerned. A tone only his older sister was capable of.

The boy crossed his arms, pouting, before looking at his sister warily. "Actually….ice cream sounds really good right now." Jazz's mouth fell open, her expression almost smug. Fenton interrupted before she could quip back. "Not 'cause I'm scared! It's just...really hot out today."

"Right?" Jazz raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure that's what it is."

Fenton chose to say nothing, still crossing his arms but looking down. Something in the closed off response made Jazz's expression soften.

The girl sighed, putting an arm on his shoulder. "But seriously Danny. It's okay to be afraid, and not just of needles." Her voice quieted, as if to prevent anyone from over hearing. "With everything that happened with Mom and Dad, it's okay to be nervous around them."

Fenton's stomach dropped in dread. "I'm not…."

He trailed off, unable to deny. It didn't matter anyway; Continual denials weren't going to do anything to convince his sister. And his pride wouldn't let him admit he was maybe, possibly, a little, tiny bit afraid. The boy looked down. It was ridiculous. He'd been confident not five minutes again. Mom and Dad saw Phantom as his other half and would really do everything they could to help them merge. Everything would be okay. But why did his heart still flutter with anxiety?

The hand on his arm patted. "It's okay, Danny." Jazz smiled at him for a moment before changing the subject. "Are Sam and Tucker coming over today?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah. I was going to meet them in front of the school and walk home."

Jazz started walking in that direction. Her hand stayed on his arm for a moment, gently encouraging him to walk with her. "Why don't I drive all of us home?"

Fenton turned his head, looking at her skeptically. "You're offering to drive me and my friends somewhere? Really?"

"To my own house." Jazz rolled her eyes before pointing. "And don't get used to it. I'm only considering it because of...everything you've been through recently."

Another frown creeped its way onto Fenton's face from the statement but he forced the creeping anxiety back. He grinned jokily instead. "Could I maybe use that to convince you to buy me a milkshake?"

The girl glared but human Danny blinked at her innocently, with his best puppy dog eyes. Jazz huffed. "Fine! We'll go through the Nasty Burger drive-thru."

"Yes!" The boy pumped his fist.

But!" Jazz interrupted, pointing. "You're buying next time."

He waved her off. "Sure, sure." She said that now but he was good at getting his sister to give in to him, especially if she felt bad for him. He pushed the doors open in front of them, before smirking. "I split myself and suddenly you're nice to me? Maybe I should have done that sooner."

Jazz stopped beside him, a mixture of shock and disappointment on her face. And Fenton felt a spike of guilt. It was then, Sam's voice barked to his right. "Don't say stuff like that!" His goth friend's fists punched his shoulder a little too hard to be considered playful.

"Sam!" The boy yelped, startled. He looked up, registering Sam and Tucker standing on the school's front steps, just past the door he'd come through. He rubbed the sore spot, frowning. "That hurt!"

"Well then don't say stupid shit like that." Sam crossed her arms, angrily.

"I was joking!" He argued.

Sam's lip twitched. Concern flashed through her features, just covered by the anger. "It wasn't funny."

Guilt flared in Fenton's gut again. His expression softened. "I didn't mean it, I swear. I know trying to cure myself was a horrible idea."

"You didn't know you'd get split." Jazz said, having overcome her shock.

"I...I know." Fenton wrung his hands. "But it still sucks that that's what happened."

"You'll figure out how to fix it, dude." Tucker patted him on the back.

Fenton bit his lip; the positive statement didn't make him feel better.

"Speaking of." Jazz coughed, changing the subject. "Let's go ahead and head home. I'm driving us."

Her brother nodded, but said nothing, accepting the statement as Jazz started walking towards the parking lot with the three freshmen following her. Sam and Tucker chatted with each other, with Jazz adding a few words occasionally to the conversation. Fenton walked just behind.

Dread balled in the boy's gut as he cursed his bad decision again. Decisions, really. He really shouldn't have joked about splitting himself. That was so stupid. Spliting himself was so stupid too. Though he didn't want to think about it, guilt and worry swirled in the boy's mind anyway. Without his permission or his effort, his short conversation with Phantom this morning rose to the front of his mind. His ghost's disappointed frown and crossed arms as Fenton carefully avoided the topic of why the merging failed. The human knew it was stupid, not being honest with his other half, with himself. But he was still doing it anyway.

"Hey, Danny, are you gonna call shotgun?" Tucker's question drew Fenton out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" He was standing in front of Jazz's car already. How had they walked here so fast? Fenton shook his head, dislodging the cobwebs as he realized what his friend was asking. "Yeah. I'll take the front seat."

After Jazz unlocked the car, her brother opened the front passenger side door and sat down, putting his bookbag at his feet. Sam and Tucker sat down, putting their own bags in their laps. Jazz turned on the car and put it in drive.

Turning out of the parking lot, Jazz asked. "What milkshake do you want, Danny?"

"Milkshake?" Tucker raised a brow, excitedly.

Jazz looked at the technogeek through the rearview mirror. "We're going through the Nasty Burger drive thru." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "If you or Sam want anything, you can pay for it yourself."

At that, Tucker looked slightly disappointed. He patted his pockets and unzipped a few compartments on his bag, until he pulled out some crumpled dollar bills. His eyes lit up. "Yes! I have enough for a peanut butter bacon shake."

Sam wrinkled her nose. "That is disgusting. I can't believe…."

A verbal tennis match about Tucker and Sam's dietary preferences started in response and Danny watched on in amusement before Jazz admonished the pair in the back seat to keep it down so she could concentrate. This earned side-eyes and not completely authentic annoyed pouting. But Jazz at least was true to her word about the milkshakes.

Fenton hummed in contentment, taking a sip of his chocolate-cherry milkshake. The Nasty Burger had the best shakes. And despite what he told Jazz, the ice cream was making him feel a little better. But would that last?

* * *

Phantom sat on the couch, watching TV. Mom and Dad had gone back down stairs about an hour and a half again, before telling the ghost he didn't have to hide in his room all day. So the ghost boy was enjoying not having to fight anyone else for the tv remote, at least for a while.

The credits rolled on the show he was watching and Phantom furrowed his brow. He glanced at the clock; school had gotten out thirty minutes ago. Shouldn't Jazz, his friends, and his human half be home by now?

Just then, the front door rattled with the sound of someone trying to unlock it. Familiar voices drifted through the door and Phantom's core sparked with happiness. They were here. In a blink, he floated off his seat and to the door. Smiling, he pulled the door open.

"I hate this stupid lock." Jazz was grumbling as the door swung inside. Her head then popped up, slightly startled at the sudden movement. Then she smiled. "Hey, Danny."

"Hey Jazz." The ghost floated backwards, allowing the humans inside. His eyes feel on his friends. "Sam! Tucker! I'm so happy to see you guys." He threw one arm around each of them, grinning widely.

"Careful!" Sam barked, with alarm but with little bite.

It was then Phantom noticed the styrofoam cups in Sam and Tucker's hands. "You got milkshakes?" He turned his head, seeing the shakes in Jazz and Fenton's hands. Each human had one but….his grin fell, suddenly feeling disappointed. "You didn't get me one?"

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz side-eyed each other, looking confused. Sam pointed. "The human you got one?"

Phantom's frown just deepened. "But...but there's only one shake."

His friends and sister continued gaping, looking between the two Dannys. They looked so confused; it would have been funny if Phantom didn't suddenly feel left out and nervous.

Jazz raised a brow. "Was I supposed to get separate ones? Because that's….you're both…"

"I thought you couldn't taste it anyway." Tucker stated.

The ghost's core fell at the reminder. He blushed, checks turning green. "I can't but…." He trailed off. He still felt left out. He couldn't enjoy a milkshake. He couldn't even go through the drive through with his friends and sister. Had they forgotten about him, since they had one Danny with them? Or did they think one milkshakes was enough for both, since they were the same person? That spending time and attention with Fenton was equivalent, the same as spending that time with Phantom, even if the ghost half didn't experience the same things as his human self.

Guilt churned, seemingly out of nowhere, or…..from his human self? Fenton was looking down, avoiding everyone's eyes. The human was guilty and nervous about seeing Phantom. The ghost felt like those were his own emotions. But it was confusing, since they'd both been happy just moments before.

Still not looking up, Fenton, also blushing, held the shake out to him and the ghost took it tentatively before sipping. Nothing. Not flavor. It didn't even feel pleasantly cold like it was supposed to, because of his inhumanly cold ghostly body. Phantom shoved the shake back into his other self's hands, still blushing.

Jazz's hand gently rested on his arm. "I wasn't meaning to leave you out Danny, if that's what this is about." She said it quietly, for the sake of his embarrassment. Not that it helped when he already embarrassed himself in front of his friends because his stupid brain and stupid emotions were doing stupid things.

Tucker coughed. "Could you taste it if you did that glowy eyes thingy?"

"What?" Phantom asked, fixing his gaze on Tucker while his human half also tilted his head at the other boy.

"At lunch, when human you's eyes were glowing and you both were talking to us." Tucker explained.

Phantom knew his friend was trying to break the tension with his innocent question. He couldn't blame Tucker for not knowing how this worked. But he prickled anyway.

"We can't just do it on command, Tucker." Phantom and Fenton glared in sync, wearing identical expressions.

Both Dannys' eyes widened as each took a step back from his counterpart, blushing more darkly.

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz side-eyed the Dannys again before Tucker chuckled. "Dude, it's so cool when you do that."

Phantom let out an audible sigh, tension leaving his shoulders at Tucker's statement. He half-smiled, though he wasn't feeling it. "I don't know about cool. But it's…"

"It's…. something." Fenton finished for him.

That was the word for it, something. Phantom wasn't sure how to feel about….anything. He just knew he felt embarrassed at how he reacted earlier. And tense and a little nervous. Things felt weird again. Sam and Jazz were looking at him with mild concern and obviously trying very hard not to gawk. And Tucker acting excitedly, like this was cool? The ghost swallowed; his friend was trying to break the tension, to act like this was cool, not bizarre and uncomfortable. Like everything was normal and he and Fenton were still just his best friend Danny, despite their being two of him.

The silence remained awkward for a moment; Jazz looked between the two Dannys with a concerned look that screamed she wanted to say something to them but before the girl made up her mind, Dad came pounding up the stairs with Mom following after.

The man beamed. "Jazz! Danny! You're home. And you brought your friends!"

Mom's thoughtful gaze took in the group, the furrow of her brow betraying that she sensed the previous awkwardness and was trying to work out what happened. "Sam. Tucker. How are you two doing?" She asked, the question authentic with a hint of motherly probing.

"Great. Mrs. F" Tucker smiled.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for letting us come over Mrs. Fenton." Sam gave a small wave.

Mom raised a brow, seemingly asking for more information. She probably wanted to know what his friends thought about the situation and how they were taking it, but the woman didn't push. Instead she replied. "Of course, Sam. Danny's friends are always welcome here."

"Yeah! Especially if you're here to hear me drone on about ghosts!"

Phantom couldn't help but ironically relax at his Dad's excitement. Before the accident, he would have been annoyed and embarrassed by his parents' enthusiasm for something that didn't exist. And after the accident, well….he quickly learned ghosts were real. But excited talk of all the experiments Mom and Dad wanted to run, everything they wanted to learn, it felt too personal, too dangerous.

But now….. Dad was grinning, talking with child-like wonder about their portal, what lay on the other side, and theorizing about how ghosts' ability to fly worked. To Phantom, it reminded him of Jazz rambling about psychology, Tucker about his electronics, Sam about animal rights, or even himself about the stars. Bright eyed, passionate, thirsting for knowledge, and not the least bit malicious.

Dad's hand appeared on his back. "Come on kids! Let's go downstairs."

And just like that, the boy stiffened again. But Mom obviously noticed his change in posture. "Like I promised this morning, we'll go as slowly as you need, Danny. There's nothing to be afraid of."

The ghost knew she meant well. Logically, there wasn't anything to be nervous about but he couldn't seem to convince his rapidly pulsing core of that. He tentatively glanced at his human half, who was looking down with tense shoulders. Apparently, Fenton was feeling similarly.

Phantom nodded stiffly, despite his anxiety as Dad patted his back. "Come on son."

Out the corner of his eye, Phantom saw Mom give Fenton a kind smile as everyone started walking (or floating) towards the stairs. Dad and Phantom went down the steps first with Mom and the human teens following. The group stopped at the foot of the stairs. Phantom swallowed, looking around warily. He tried not to flinch at the still half assembled cage; he wasn't in any danger of being forced in there, not anymore, but the thought still raised the hair on the back of his neck. He glanced around the different tables. It was cleaner than earlier; any weapons, both those finished and in progress, were out of sight. He tilted his head. But what had his parents done with them? Maybe he should ask.

"What did you guys end up doing with that lunch lady ghost?" Fenton asked, distracting Phantom from his observations.

The ghost turned towards his parents. "Yeah. You guys caught her in that thermos thing, right?"

"Yes! The Fenton Thermos!" Dad beamed, picking up a cylindrical device from one of the tables. "We captured her in this baby!"

Phantom swallowed, nervously eyeing the thermos (That could have been him if he had been slower on Friday). "What are you gonna do with her?"

Dad's smile dimmed, as he lowered the device. He glanced at Mom who bit her lip. "Once we finished the containment unit, we were planning to get some data from the ghost. However-"

Sam's biting voice interrupted Dad's answer. "You can't just experiment on someone without their consent!"

"Sam. Stop." Fenton frowned.

The girl pointed at the containment unit. "They just said they were going to keep a ghost captive. You can't just do that!"

"Dude, the lunch lady kidnapped you. Why are you defending her?" Tucker raised a brow.

Sam crossed her arms. Her nose wrinkled in disgust, probably from remembering being trapped in a pile of meat but then the girl shook her head. "She still doesn't deserve to be treated like a lab rat."

"Sam." Fenton's voice pitched up, a hint of anger in his tone.

"They almost did that to you, Danny!" Sam then glared at the Fenton parents. "Tucker and I saw how scared Danny was when you were chasing him. And you...you shot him. How could you do that?!"

"Sam. Stop." Both Dannys gritted out.

"You should both be ashamed for yourselves. I can't even believe-" Sam was cut off by Phantom darting in front of her.

"Stop chewing out my parents, Sam." The ghost boy glared.

The girl glared right back. "But-"

"I don't need you to defend me." The boy continued, mouth set in a hard, serious line

The goth's eyes widened, the anger leaching from her face as she searched Phantom's face. After a moment, she glanced over his shoulder, falling on someone behind them. The ghost didn't even have to turn around to know it was his human half. Whatever expression covered Fenton's face, it made Sam's expression soften farther.

A low, masculine cough sounded behind Phantom, causing him to turn around again. His dad, whose eyes had been a light with excitement not a minute ago, was standing with his shoulders low and eyes heavy with sadness. Mom stood beside him, her arms crossed with an angry expression on her face. She looked almost defensive, angry at being lectured, if not for her telling silence.

Dad spoke first. "Maddie and I both know we messed up big time. But we're trying to make up for what we did." The man glanced at his wife. "Isn't that right, Mads?"

Guilt flickered across Maddie's face, her narrowed eyes softened slightly. "I understand why you are angry at us. But I do not need to be lectured by you, Sam." The woman fixed her eyes on the floor, the previous prickliness of the statement fizzling. "I fully know how guilty I am."

The last words fell heavy and Phantom shifted in the air again, feeling awkward as the silence lingered.

After a minute, Sam spoke. "Mister and Misses Fenton." She blushed, slightly embarrassed while folding one arm across her chest and holding her elbow. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…. It's just...Danny."

"Danny's lucky to have friends who will stand up for him." Dad half-smiled. "Thank you for being there for him."

Sam blushed a darker shade of red before glancing at the other adult. The anger had left Mom's face. The woman sighed. "You're forgiven, Sam. Let's just put this behind us and get started."

Phantom swallowed, feeling nervous again as he realized something. "Ummm, not to cause drama again. But what are you actually planning on doing with the lunch lady now?" His shoulders rose, tensely. He hated bringing it up but the ghost knew the question would bother him until he got an answer.

Mom turned towards him. "It's fine, sweetie. As your father started saying earlier, we don't have time to study that ghost anyway with...everything that's just happened. So your father and I are going to release her into the Ghost Zone."

"Really?" Phantom raised a brow.

"Yes. And after we...figure out how to re-merge you two," she pointed between the two Dannys. "We may need to reconsider some of our research protocols. But that remains to be seen. You are our top priority, Danny."

If Phantom had a stomach, it would have flopped nervously, though based on Fenton's facial expression, it was currently flopping nervously. But either way, a mix of relief and anxiety swirled in the ghost's core. Despite telling Sam to stop chewing out his parents, he did share some of the goth's trepidations about his parent's research practices. His parents had talked freely about experimenting on ghosts, with little concern about their potential subjects' sentience or ability to feel pain. And being a ghost himself, of course he was concerned. The boy swallowed, a familiar question rising in his mind again. Were they only treating him like a person because he was their Danny? And if he was just some random ghost, would they…..

The boy shook his head. No, they were letting the lunch lady go of their own free will and at least reconsidering some of their practices. Maybe they were starting to suspect they were wrong about ghosts in some ways.

"Danny, sweetie. Are you listening?" Mom's questions shook Phantom out of his worries.

He blinked. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking which one of you wanted to go first." She glanced at his human self.

Fenton frowned, eyeing his parents and then his other self nervously. Phantom wrapped his arms around himself, meeting Fenton's eyes as a silent debate passed between the two. Neither wanted to go anywhere near any needles. Neither wanted to go first, but did it really matter, since both were the same person?

Fenton swallowed. "I'll go first."

Mom gently put a hand on his arm and led the boy to one of the lab stools. "This will be like before the ghost catcher, okay?" She looked up, addressing both Dannys. "I'll take some hair, some nails, a few skin swabs, a cheek swab, and a blood….or ectoplasm sample." The woman stumbled over the word, ectoplasm, nose wrinkling slightly. "I'm going to measure your pulse, your blood pressure, breathing rate. Check your eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Test your reflexes. All standard things, like when you go to the doctor, okay?"

Both human and ghost Danny nodded, biting their lips as Mom started gathering supplies. Then Tucker walked up beside Phantom, elbowing the ghost gently. "Dude, I have to tell you what happened in my PE class today."

"Is that what you were telling me about when we were waiting for Jazz and him" she pointed at Fenton. "After school?"

"Yes! So Ms. Tesslaff had everyone get in a circle and all the jocks…."

Phantom couldn't help but get enraptured in the story, asking questions and making dumb comments with his human self. Fenton didn't even notice when Mom drew some blood a few minutes later, too absorbed in talking about Doomed.

Mom tapped the boy's shoulder, getting his attention. "I'm going to go ahead and listen to your heart and lungs, sweetie."

Fenton tilted his head. "When are you taking that blood sample?"

"She already did." Phantom pointed at the bandage on the inside of Fenton's elbow.

The human's eyes widened and he glanced between the teens around him. "Why didn't anyone say anything?"

Phantom shrugged, floating back and to the left slightly as Mom stepped in front and placed the stethoscope on Fenton's chest. "Breath in for me."

Mom proceeded with measuring Fenton's vitals, brief explanations and instructions interrupting the conversation.

Fenton smiled. "And then I said…" "Say ahhh." Mom instructed

Dad chuckled. "That reminds me of that time in our sophomore year. Do you remember Madds?"... "I'm still amazed you didn't get a brain freeze." Mom pulled out the blood pressure cuff. "Raise your arm, Danny."

Using a rubber mallet, Mom carefully tested Fenton's knee-jerk reaction. The boy gave a slight umph as his lower leg swung. Phantom laughed at the slightly startled expression (Hey, if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?)

Mom jotted something down on her notepad, taping her pencil on the page. "Your vitals are not all that different than before. If anything, your pulse and breathing is a little faster but not alarmingly so." The woman put the pencil down, meeting Phantom's eyes. "It's your turn, sweetie."

Instantly, anxiety rose in the ghost's gut, squishing his previous good mode. He swallowed.

"Go on, son." Dad patted him on the back while Sam and Tucker smiled at him encouragingly.

At the same time, Mom gently squeezed Fenton's shoulder before shooing him off the stool. Both Dannys stood face to face for a moment, Fenton visibly relaxing before noticing his ghost's nervousness. The human swallowed before giving Phantom on somewhat nervous thumbs up. "You've got this."

Phantom tried to return the affirmation with a smile but it probably looked more like a grimace. A second later, Fenton looked away, guilt flashing across his face. A strange, complicated emotion (was he also guilty, disappointed? Why did things suddenly feel awkward between him and Fenton?) pricked Phantom's core but he ignored it, sitting down and turning towards his mother instead. "I'm….I'm ready."

Mom's hand hovered over his shoulder for a moment before she gently squeezed. "This will be almost exactly like I just did with...the other Danny, okay?"

The ghost nodded stiffly. "Okay."

He was still nervous, despite Mom's attempt at comfort. Why? He saw what Fenton just went through. It was almost exactly like going to the doctors. But...doubt surged. Fenton was human. Mom and Dad, they knew what to expect from their human son. But a ghost? Mom wouldn't even call him a ghost. What would she think?

His friends and sister tried to distract the boy with chatter but it barely helped, Phantom's nervousness refusing to lift. He nodded, adding a few words as Mom plucked a few of his hairs and swabbed the inside of his cheek.

"Sweetie, can you take off your gloves and roll up one of your sleeves?" Mom asked, gently.

That got Phantom's attention. Slowly, tentatively, he pulled the gloves off and with only very slightly shaking hands he rolled up the sleeve of his hazmat suit. The ghost's eyes widened, taking in the pale but greenish skin. The raised, darker green scar that branched from the palm of his hand and up his arm before disappearing under his sleeve where it spread over his shoulder before circling where his heart should be. On Fenton, he knew the scar was faint, a barely noticeable spider web on human, pinkish skin. Mom had definitely seen it before when they were at the hospital after the accident. But now, on his ghostly body…

Mom's breath caught in her throat, her gloves hands hovering nervously over the scar, like she wanted to touch it to prove (or hopefully disprove) it was real but she hesitated. The conversations around Phantom had quieted, the silence almost deafening. But the almost imperceptible churning of the portal, a sound Phantom was almost sure the humans could not hear, stood out all the more in the silence. He glanced over Mom's shoulder, focusing on the neon green light, the tear in the world that gave him this scar, that turned him into this. It was easier, less painful than looking at his mom's grief stricken face.

After what felt like an eternity, Mom's fingers lightly touched his skin. The ghost looked again, watching Mom carefully trace the scar. After a moment, her eyes pinched shut, a pained look on her face. The woman took a deep breath before forcing her eyes open.

She spoke, barely able to cover the quiver in her voice. "I'm going to go ahead and take that blo- ectoplasm sample."

Mom's movements were slow and careful, seeming to drag on. Phantom couldn't tell if it was his own building dread or Mom fearfully trying to delay. She wiped the inner crux of his arm with an alcohol wipe before drawing a needle. Jazz reached for his free hand, squeezing it comfortingly as something sharp pierced his skin. The ghost looked away, pushing down his almost nauseous fear. There was a pause as Mom drew up the liquid, then...nothing. No movement, no indication Mom removed the needle. What was she doing? Should he look? Was she done? What-

Phantom whipped his head to the side, needing to see. He paused, bile rising in his throat as his eyes fell on the needle still in his arm. Mom's hands were shaking, frozen on the plunger for a moment before she seemed to shake out of her stupor. She pulled the plunger the rest of the way up before painlessly sliding the needle out of Phantom's arm. The boy relaxed in relief for a second before a bead of jade green liquid welled up from the hole in his arm. He swallowed, glancing up at Mom who was staring in heartbroken disbelief between the contents of the syringe and spot on his arm.

"It's..It's really...it's really….It's green." The woman muttered, seemingly more to herself than anyone else.

The boy blushed looking down. "Yeah, It is."

The quiet words broke through Mom's haze. In a second, she put down the syringe onto the tray and pressed a cotton ball onto Phantom's wound.

The boy's shoulders fell and he licked his lips. "I know. It's green. I don't have...it's not...it's not blood. It's…."

"Ectoplasm." Mom forced out the word. "I figured….I knew you have ectoplasm. Of course you do. We saw it in the samples before the ghost catcher. But you're really a…." She swallowed. "But knowing it and seeing it are two different things."

The woman couldn't meet his eyes while she applied the bandage and injected the sample into the collection tube. She remained silent, like the other occupants while gently clipping one of his nails and running a q tip over his forearms. Carefully she removed her gloves before changing them and coming to stand in front of the boy, stethoscope clutched in her hand. Mom froze, eyeing the boy in front of her and the instrument in her hand warily, her hands shook.

It was all Phantom could do to keep from turning invisible and literally turning tail and fleeing. Not because he was afraid of Mom but because he could feel the look on her face breaking his heart even though the organ was not currently in his chest. Her sorrowful eyes betrayed the whirling in her mind as she looked at the portal, the ghost, and the stethoscope. Because what was a stethoscope for but to listen to someone's heart or lungs. And well, ghosts don't have those.

Dad's cough broke the silence. "I think that's enough for tonight Maddie. Why don't we order some pizza?"

Numbly the woman nodded. She turned around so she was facing the human teenagers and her sagging shoulders lifted almost imperceptibly. "Sure honey. Sam. Tucker, would you like to stay for dinner?"

The two friends looked between human Danny and ghost Danny, both of whom were looking at Mom with sad expressions. Phantom met Sam's eyes and nodded.

"Sure, Mrs. F." "Yes, I'd love to stay." Tucker then Sam said.

"Great." Dad grinned, clearly trying to lift the mode. "Let's go upstairs and figure out what we want."

With a kind look at his wife, Dad started towards the stairs. Jazz, Sam, and Tucker followed as Phantom rose off of the stool and floated forward. He glanced slightly up at Mom who wore a distant look in her eye. "Mom?"

She looked down, tears just starting to glisten in the corners. She gave a sad smile. "I love you Danny. You know that right?"

"Yeah." The boy nodded, biting his lip. "Are you gonna come up stairs?"

The woman closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Give me a few moments to clean up here. Okay?"

"Okay." Phantom nodded, before floating around her.

It was then he noticed Fenton watching the exchange at the foot of the stairs. The human bit his lip, eyes falling on the floor as soon as he noticed Phantom's gaze. The ghost said nothing, as he started floating up the stairs with Fenton following. He paused half way up and turned. His shoulders fell at the sight, Mom standing in the middle of the lab with shaking shoulders as she stared at the portal.

Fenton's hand wrapped around his. "Come on." The boy whispered. "She's going to be okay."

Phantom looked down, hoping that was true, before he turned back around and continued up the stairs.

Note: Thank you for reading and thanks to everyone who comments, bookmarks, and subscribes to this story. I always look forward to hearing what people have to say after I update so thank you so much.

Also, I plotted out the rest of the story and have ten more chapters planned so there's still a ways to go but I'm really excited about events coming up in the story and hope everyone will continue enjoying it.


	19. Chapter 19

Fenton followed Phantom up the stairs, his heart clenching as he forced one foot in front of the other. The boy tried to ignore it but the images stubbornly haunted his mind. Mom's wide eyes, barely holding back tears. Her shaking shoulders as she stared at the portal. Her quivering lip as she studied Phantom's scar. Heartbroken and disbelieving with shaking hands as she stared at the neon green of his ghost half's ectoplasm.

Phantom lingered behind the human boy. Fenton could feel the worry and sadness wafting off of the ghost. But how could he not? That was his own sadness. Just minutes before, Fenton had stood there, transfixed as Mom's hand hovered over their scar, as she struggled to draw Phantom's ectoplasm. He'd just stood there, not knowing what to say or what to think.

Soon, the pair entered the kitchen to find Dad, Jazz, and their friends standing around the table and looking over a menu for the pizza place down the street.

Dad turned at the sound of the human Danny's footsteps. The man smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, the expression clearly forced.

Fenton took in the concerned faces of his friends and family. They looked so worried for him, with soft, rounded eyes and slight frowns. The expressions pricked at his heart again. Those were far too common expressions. They were spending too much time and energy worrying about him when he was the idiot who got himself in this situation in the first place.

"What do you want to eat, Danny-boy?" Dad's question got the boy's attention.

Meeting his father's eyes, Fenton forced a smile. "I'm not picky. Just about anything's fine with me."

Jazz raised a brow. "Are you sure, Danny?"

The boy shrugged trying to act casual….like Mom probably wasn't crying downstairs, like she wasn't upset that he was a ghost. "Yeah, you guys know what I like."

"Alright." Jazz sighed, accepting the answer. Her eyes fell on Phantom who was hovering silently over Fenton's shoulder. "Any requests, Phantom?"

Fenton stiffened slightly from Jazz's use of the name and from the shifting air behind him, his ghost likely did the same. But the human soon forced his shoulders down. It was fine. They'd told Jazz and their friends that they could call them Fenton and Phantom, to try to decrease the confusion of calling both of them Danny. It was the first time Jazz had called his ghost half that. It shouldn't have surprised or bothered them even though it did.

After a moment, the human pivoted so he could see Phantom. "No, I'm good with anything." The ghost shrugged. "It's not like I'm going to eat anyway." To Fenton's ears, the statement was forcibly nonchalant, as if the ghost was pretending not wanting or needing to eat didn't bother him at all. But the others clearly didn't realize the falseness of the tone or chose not to comment.

Dad gave an accepting nod. He then grabbed a notepad and pen from the kitchen junk drawer. Glancing down at the menu again, he clicked the pen. "How about we order three larges? One meat lover."

Oh, yeah. That was his Dad's favorite, Fenton absently noted as the man smiled widely. The statement earned a similar grin from Tucker.

Jazz pointed at the paper on the table. "How about a veggie supreme? Mom likes that one." The girl turned to Sam. "You're vegan, right?" The goth nodded and Jazz frowned. "I don't think they have any vegan options. But we can order you a salad or…"

"It's fine." Sam waved casually. "I like the veggie supreme; a little cheese is okay occasionally."

Dad hummed in acknowledgement, writing down the pizzas they'd decided on. "So one more."

"Maybe a Hawaiian? That's your favorite Danny. Right?" Jazz suggested.

"Yeah." Fenton and Phantom both replied, impassively.

Tucker shocked his head, teasing. "You heathen."

Sam elbowed him. "You're one to talk. You like peanut butter and bacon milkshakes."

"Hey!" Tucker pointed. "I like what I like, okay?"

Sam crossed her arms, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as light teasing about food preferences started. But Fenton tuned it out, only half listening as Jazz shooed his friends into the living room so Dad could call the pizza place. Both Dannys silently followed before Fenton sat down heavily on the couch, with Phantom hovering beside him in a seated position.

"The pizza will be here in 45 minutes!" Dad called from the kitchen, breaking up Sam and Tucker's bantering.

The pair of friends turned to look at Fenton and Phantom. "We should work on homework while we wait." Sam said.

Fenton perked up. "Yeah we should."

Fenton moved onto the floor, forming a circle with Sam, Tucker, and his ghost as the teens all pulled papers out of their bags. Jazz sat down at the kitchen table while the freshmen worked together in the living room.

* * *

Doing homework was blessedly normal, if subdued. Phantom tried to smile, to joke with Sam, Tucker, and his human self, even though he wasn't feeling it. Sam kept flashing concerned looks at him and Fenton. And the ghost could almost feel Jazz's eyes burning into the back of his head but he ignored the unease swirling in his gut.

"Come on guys. Let's focus." Fenton chided. "I wanna finish before dinner so we have time for some Mario Kart after, before you guys have to go home."

Sam and Tucker did comply, turning attention back to their papers. Hopefully, they would attribute his and Fenton's seriousness to focusing on homework and not its real source. But from his friends' concerned looks, the ghost doubted it.

About ten minutes before the pizza showed up, Mom finally came back up stairs. Phantom turned around at the soft sound of her footsteps, taking in her expression. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, but slightly irritated like she'd scrubbed her face in an attempt to cover up that she'd been crying. Her eyes meet Phantom's before briefly looking away.

Phantom looked down. His attention turned away from the homework as his core clenched sadly. Mom...she looked so sad, so heartbroken and it was because of him. It was obvious from her reaction to his scar and his ectoplasm. And it hurt, seeing her like that. Pain stabbed at his core, double edged. Pain from bringing his Mother so much anguish because he just had to go into that stupid portal. And a stab of fear.

Her words last night- wrong, unnatural. Earlier-monster, abomination. His own thoughts- disease, sickness, infection. Was that why she was upset? Because he was a ghost and she finally saw how wrong he was and that there was no way to 'fix' him. But...she looked guilty earlier, looking at the portal. She was guilty about what the portal did to him. But was she guilty because he had died or because he was a ghost? Two very similar things, but not quite the same. But maybe….she could start to see that him being a ghost wasn't bad. It just….was. Not good, not bad. Just..a fact, neutral. But not something he needed to be afraid of.

The last thought of course brought last night's failed merging and this morning's botched conversation to his mind. The ghost glanced to his side, briefly meeting his human self's eyes before the boy looked away.

Minutes later, the doorbell rang. Dad jumped up and almost jogged to the door to get the food. At the same time, Tucker hopped to his feet shortly followed by Sam. Fenton pulled himself to his feet slowly, his shoulders low. He arrived at the table just as Dad was putting down the boxes and Jazz was pulling out plates. The four Fentons (plus ghost half) and his friends sat down, each grabbing various slices from the boxes. Seven chairs were set around the table, making it very crowded.

Normally with the delicious pizza and his friends and family together, Phantom would have enjoyed this. Or the whole Danny would have. Pizza nights were always special, happy occasions, especially when Sam and Tucker stayed over for dinner. But the small piece Phantom was trying to eat, in an attempt at normalcy, tasted like nothing. And both Mom and his human half wouldn't meet his eyes. He gave up on the piece four bits in, putting the rest on Fenton's plate.

Dad, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker chatted mildly while the group ate, filling the silence as Phantom followed the conversation, adding words occasionally. After putting plates in the dishwasher, Mom and Dad went back down to the lab, Jazz to her room, and the other teens settling around the TV for Mario Kart.

Despite Sam and Tucker's concerned looks, Phantom managed to smile and even laugh, trying to force himself to enjoy the game (Fake it 'til you make it, right?). From his grimace-like smiles, Fenton was trying to do the same.

Phantom was almost relieved when Sam and Tucker had to leave; he could stop pretending. As soon as their friends left, Fenton started up the stairs without a word, not even looking at the ghost. Phantom watched him with a raised brow before floating after him but Fenton still wouldn't meet his eyes, closing the door to their bedroom before the ghost could float into the room.

Wide-eyed and slightly startled, Phantom stared at the door, debating if he should go in. Maybe he should and demand that Fenton talk to him about...whatever this was. The ghost sagged in the air, core twisting in a mix of emotions. Whatever he was feeling, it was a tangled mess. He couldn't decipher it, especially with emotions radiating from Fenton. Phantom didn't think that the human was mad at him? (as far as he could feel) All the same, he didn't know what to do, what to think or how to solve this. The ghost boy turned around, biting his lip. Maybe he should talk to Jazz and she could help him?

Silently, he floated towards her bedroom, preparing to knock. But the soft sound of snores filtered through the door. Frowning, Phantom turned intangible and phased the top half of his body through the door. Jazz lay on her bed, snuggled under the covers. The boy frowned; she was asleep already. But, then again, she'd been up late with him last night. Supporting him, advocating for him, even yelling at Mom and Dad for him. She'd done so much for him already. And right now, she looked so comfortable, so peaceful. Not worried like she'd been last night and all during dinner.

Phantom bit his lip again. He still wanted to talk to her but…she needed to sleep. She deserved it. And his problem could wait, right? He could give Fenton the night to cry or think or whatever and hopefully, he'd be able talk about it tomorrow, after Fenton got some much needed sleep. And if they needed Jazz for the conversation or he needed her before, he could ask.

Phantom turned back around, preparing to fly through the ceiling but the boy frowned again, pausing. Since when had he become someone that goes to his older sister for emotional support? He shook the thought away before embarking on another night of flying around the town.

* * *

Fenton laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Guilt balled in his gut again. He knew Phantom, his other half, had floated up the steps behind him. And Fenton had closed the door in his face. His eyes glanced towards the door. Was the ghost still floating outside the room? Debating whether or not to come inside? The boy's eyes flickered back to the ceiling. Honestly, Fenton was surprised Phantom hadn't come in and demanded to talk. Maybe he should have, or the human should have reached out.

But Fenton hadn't. And he didn't want to. He knew it didn't make any sense but here he was, pushing Phantom away again. But…..Fenton just….didn't know. What he was thinking, what he was feeling, it didn't make sense. None of this made sense, really.

The human just knew he was tired, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He was tired of struggling. Tired of thinking and trying to figure everything was so tired of feeling like this, but he had no idea how to stop.

Huffing, the human rolled onto his side. After a moment's thought, the boy grabbed his phone and headphones from his side table. He needed some music, a calming melody to distract him and maybe slow the anxious pounding of his heart. He plugged the headphone's cord into the phone and placed the buds in his ears before picking an artist to listen to. Something….lyrical, comforting if a little melancholy. With words he could wrap himself up in and a melody that struck a chord somewhere in his soul. And if the boy was lucky, it would eventually lull him to sleep.

Fenton pressed play and closed his eyes, letting the music drift over him. In time, his heartbeat slowed and his breath calmed as sleep took him.

* * *

Phantom spent a few hours flying around the town, observing. He tried to avoid his feelings and thoughts, tried to avoid wallowing in his pain. He really had. But the boy just couldn't seem to stop. He floated above downtown, watching cars driving by and people leaving restaurants and bars late into the night. His eyes misted with tears as the feeling of being an outcast rose in him again. He kept feeling like this, like he didn't belong here. As if he was actually haunting this town, his home.

The boy looked down again. Was this what being a ghost was? Being stuck mourning his own death, the loss of his own life. Was this why ghosts lingered in the world of the living? A longing to stay in a familiar setting, looking in as if they could somehow keep living the life they'd already lost, but always unable to go back, to continue. Instead, becoming stuck in a cycle of mourning and frustration.

The ghost's unneeded breath hitched in his throat as a realization struck him. Did that explain Mom and Dad's stories about vengeful, violent spirits? Decades, centuries locked in hopeless mourning. Being unable to accept what happened, to move one. And that frustration turned to anger and then to violence.

Phantom's hands shook. No, no, no. He did not want that to become that. He didn't want to lose his humanity and lash out like a rabid animal, like the stories said. The boy shook his head. That didn't matter. He wasn't a real ghost, anyway. He still had his life, his humanity. That part of him was asleep at home right now and would go to school in the morning. But Phantom still felt disconnected, like he was dead and his life was over despite that. And even if he was merged with Fenton, they'd still be half ghost. They couldn't just ignore that aspect anymore. But that still left too many questions. What exactly did being a human and a ghost at the same time mean? Was he dead or alive or both at the same time? Maybe, half of each? But then again, based on Mom and Dad's theories of what ghosts actually were, were ghosts actually dead anyway or were they something else entirely? Heck, there was a whole dimension of ghosts (?) on the other side of the portal. What exactly was behind the portal and how did that factor into everything? There was just so much he didn't know and Mom and Dad didn't know much either, despite having many theories. Besides, his mere existence disproved a lot of their theories.

Just as the clocktower at city hall chimed one a.m, Phantom stopped in front of the library. He ran his hands through his hair and blew out a breath he didn't feel. He needed to stop freaking out about this and do something else. He phased inside, intent on finding some books to read.

Memories of this place flitted through his mind. His small hand in Mom's, looking for picture books. Listening to the librarian read, surrounded by other kids. Curling up in an armchair in the kids section, a Magic Treehouse book in hand. He wasn't the ravenous reader Jazz was, but the public library was familiar all the same, though it looked so different now with moonlight streaming through large front windows and casting everything in shadow.

Phantom floated towards the youth section with a book in mind, the newest installment in a series he enjoyed in middle school but hadn't gotten around to checking out yet. He paused as a display caught his eye. The boy frowned, taking in the paper cutouts of cartoonish ghosts and the related books- Scary Stories to tell in the dark, True Tales of Haunting, and The Woman in White and other Tales. He rolled his eyes at the irony but lingered for a second, tempted especially by the 'True tales'. It might be useful to know some of the stories his parents based their theories on. But…..anxiety swirled in his gut as he turned away. That was a dark, depressing rabbit hole he should avoid, especially since there was no telling if any of that was accurate.

Instead, Phantom grabbed his original book of interest before settling in a comfy chair and waiting for the night to pass.

* * *

Fenton blinked awake to his alarm clock blaring. He rolled over, groaning, and slammed a hand on the button to silence the noise. The boy had just about drifted off again when Jazz's voice shouted through his door.

"Danny! Get up!"

He groaned again, muttering something unintelligible before burying himself in his pillow. Not thirty seconds later, his door swung open.

"Don't think I won't pour cold water on you." Jazz said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

The boy ignored her, even as the girl stomped towards his bed.

"Come on, little brother. Up!" Jazz insisted. Fenton remained unresponsive. Then his sister sighed. "Alright, I'll have to use this."

The sound of water sloshing above his head jolted the boy out of his apathy. Heart now pounding, he shot up in bed and stared at Jazz with panicked eyes, taking in the cup in her hand.

The girl smirked. "Knew that would work." Fenton's expression turned into a glare but Jazz ignored it, looking around. "Where's other you?"

"Flying back from the library." The boy answered, without thought before frowning. It was strange, how he knew that with little effort. But...he'd been dreaming about it before awakening anyway. Hadn't he?

Jazz didn't comment however. Instead her expression softened, turning concerned. "Do you want to talk about Mom's reaction last night? Or you and Phantom and the all too apparent tension between you two?"

Fenton instantly tensed. "We're fine." He replied too quickly, with a hint of defensiveness.

Jazz frowned. "Are you sure? I'm here if you-"

Standing up, he cut her off. "Come on. We need to get ready for school."

"But Danny-" Jazz started.

But the boy ignored her, instead walking past her, out of the room, and into the bathroom. He wasn't in the mood for a heart to heart this morning, even as well meaning as Jazz was. He just….couldn't do this today.

At lightning speed, Fenton showered and brushed his teeth, before returning to his room to get dressed. He breathed a sigh of relief; his ghost half wasn't there. A spike of guilt crept through his heart but the boy pushed it down. It didn't make any sense but he did not know what he'd say to him after last night, after everything. And he didn't want to deal with another awkward encounter while he was trying to get dressed.

Quickly, Fenton pulled a t-shirt and jeans on before heading downstairs.

* * *

Phantom phased back into his bedroom to find it empty but he could hear the shower running across the hall. The ghost bit his lip, debating. He could stay, maybe try to talk to Fenton but….the desire to escape, to avoid whatever he was feeling arose.

Instead he phased through the floor and into the kitchen. A slight gasp sounded below him and the boy cursed himself as his eyes fell on his parents. Mom's surprised expression was quickly being replaced by something carefully neutral.

As the ghost floated down to the floor, she smiled at him sadly. "Good morning sweetie."

"Good Morning" He nodded, in response.

"Good morning son." Came Dad's reply.

The pair of adults turned attention back to their food as Phantom deliberately placed his feet on the floor, making an effort to walk instead of float. Maybe they'd be more comfortable if he did that but...they looked so disheartened. His core clenched painfully at the sight. Mom's hair was disheveled, her eyes slightly red and downcast. Guilt etched deep lines on her face, making the woman look bone-tired. Dad did not look any better, with his sunken eyes, greasy hair, and unshaved stumble.

Phantom looked down. He'd thought Dad was taking this so well but the man looked tired and upset, just like Mom did. And that was all because of him.

Luckily, the sound of his sister's footsteps pulled the ghost boy from those self-deprecating thoughts.

"There you are." Jazz said as Phantom turned his head. The girl smiled as her eyes met his. "Good morning, baby brother."

Stopping beside the ghost, his sister ruffled his hair playfully, earning annoyed muttering from the boy who crossed his arms. "I'm not a baby."

Jazz didn't comment but gave a soft, amused laugh at the pouting. Phantom rolled his eyes at her response. His gaze then flitted to their parents. Dad was digging into his food with the barest hint of a smile on his face as he took in the pair of siblings. Meanwhile, Mom had put her fork down and was studying the pair. Her brows drew together and the listlessness that had been in her eyes earlier evaporated, replaced by….something else. The ghost wasn't sure what it was. Still sad but maybe there was a hint of….fondness? The boy wondered what she was thinking. But her eyes shifted down, onto her plate again once she noticed his questioning gaze.

The ghost felt his core clench sorrowfully again. And it was about to get worse.

Moments later, feet pounded down the steps. Despite himself, Phantom's shoulders stiffened. He whipped around and at the same time, Fenton froze, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. Phantom's frown deepened in response but he too stood unmoving.

Seconds later, Fenton recovered his composure, swallowing. "Oh, good morning."

Phantom couldn't help but feel a hint of annoyance at the awkwardness. He raised a brow. "Good morning yourself."

Fenton blushed and then looked down. Phantom's gut churned with some emotions he was sure was coming from his human counterpart but before he could think to process it, a snot sounded behind him. The ghost boy turned back around to find Dad wearing an amused expression. Phantom pined the man with a skeptical look, at the same time he could feel Fenton glaring at their father.

Dad's face reddened. "What? It was funny."

It was then Phantom realized the exact implications of his previous statement, considering the strange situation. The ghost boy's expression softened but he didn't say anything as he also realized Mom's uncomfortable gaze which was flitting between the two Dannys and the wide-eyed, concerned look Jazz was pinning on him and Fenton. The boy could almost feel her desire to probe him but he side-eyed her, silently demanding that she not get involved, at least not in front of Mom and Dad. The last thing he needed was Mom and Dad getting any inkling that there was any problem between him and his human self.

Clearly Fenton was thinking the same. The human coughed, trying to break up the awkward silence. "So… what's for breakfast?" He sauntered forward trying to act casually.

Mom blinked at him for a second, before shaking her head. "We have cereal. Or...you can heat up some oatmeal?" The woman glanced at the clock above the oven. "But you don't have much time before you have to leave."

Fenton glanced at the clock and Phantom couldn't help the pang of hurt he felt as the human's shoulders' fell, relieved. "I'll just eat a poptart in the car." He glanced down at his feet. "Better get my shoes on."

The human practically ran up the stairs, again carefully avoiding Phantom's eyes.

"Danny." Jazz called after him, frantically looking between the human and the ghost versions of her brother. But as Fenton ignored her, she turned to Phantom who was still standing beside her. A hand wrapped around the boy's wrist. "What was-"

"We're fine." Phantom hissed, quietly.

"No. You're-" The girl started, shaking her head.

"Don't, Jazz." The boy gritted his teeth. Jazz's eyes narrowed, looking like she wanted to push the issue. But Phantom's eyes widened, desperate. "Please, don't." His gaze flitted to the table and his voice lowered into a barely perceptible whisper. "Not in front of Mom and Dad."

At the plea, Jazz's eyes widened, her gaze also passing over the parents. Both wore sad and slightly confused expressions; Mom looked more uncomfortable than ever.

Jazz's face softened. "Fine." She whispered. "But this conversion is not over."

The boy said nothing, crossing his arms as his stomach flopping at the idea of her poking her nose in his business. Last night he'd wanted her advice...or her listening ear, at least. But now…..he'd rather come to her on his own terms. And Fenton...he wasn't sure what was going through his other self's head and that scared him….but he was also scared to find out.

The moment was interrupted by Fenton jogging down the stairs again with his bag. "Come on, Jazz." The boy practically dragged his sister out of the room. "Bye Mom. Bye Dad. Bye…..uhhh…" The boy trailed off, eyes briefly falling on his ghost. Phantom read the debate behind Fenton's eyes- what to call his ghost half in front of Mom and Dad. Phantom- the chosen name they'd agreed on? Danny- their real first name? Other me? Ghost me? "Ummm….bye."

"Bye." Phantom muttered, somewhat sadly as Fenton pulled Jazz through the front door.

He stared at the door for a few moments; the only sound was his parents' quiet breathing behind him. Tension rose in his shoulders again, warring with confusion. But he couldn't focus on it, instead distracted by Mom and Dad's eyes boring into the back of his head. Plastering on a smile, he turned around to face them.

The pair was trading questioning looks with each other, confusion and uncertainty clear. After a moment, Mom closed her eyes and shook her head. Her brow furrowed and Phantom fought to not let his smile drop. She looked so stressed, like whatever she'd just seen between the two versions of her son was just another piece of a puzzle she had no hope of putting together. Beside her, Dad looked bewildered.

"So…" Phantom spoke up, looking to distract them. "What are you guys doing today?"

Mom frowned, one brow raising. Phantom feared she was debating asking him about...whatever that was. But she didn't. Instead she shook her head again. "We're going to go through the samples from yesterday."

"You wouldn't want to help today, would you?" Dad asked, with the barest hope in his voice.

"No." Phantom shook his head. Between last night and the awkwardness this morning, he couldn't imagine being in close quarters with them. Dad's slight smile fell, betraying his disappointment. The feeling prickling his core, the ghost amended. "Maybe later. I want to play some video games...and I have some reading I want to catch up on too."

"Really?" Mom questioned. "What book?"

"You remember that series I was really into in seventh grade? Well the author wrote a fourth book and he started a spin off series."

Mom nodded before crossing her arms questiongly. "Wait. Where did you get the books?"

"The library." The boy answered, before thinking.

"But you're…" Mom motioned up and down him.

The boy blushed, then realizing what he'd said. Mom and Dad didn't know about his nighttime escapades. He suddenly felt guilty; in a way, he'd snuck out of the house. But at the same time….half of him had been at home and the idea of staying in the house at night, when he could go flying and actually hangout around the town, felt stifling. Fear rose at their reactions if he told them about those nightly flights.

"Fenton checked them out for me, from the school library." Phantom lied.

Mom nodded, accepting the answer.

"Well, enjoy your books then, son." Dad said, standing up. He put his bowl in the sink and then ruffled Phantom's hair as he walked past him and towards the lab door. "Come on Mads."

"You know where we'll be if you need us, sweetie." Mom followed Dad down the steps.

Phantom watched her close the door. His feet rose from the floor as he turned to leave. The ghost boy floated up the stairs and into his bedroom. With a groan, he flopped onto the bed. His stomach turned with anxiety and he muffled a frustrated scream into his pillow. Why was everything so messed up? His stupid feelings, stupid thoughts. The weird tension between him and Fenton. His relationship with his parents. Why couldn't things just get better?!

Note: And that's another chapter! Please let me know what you think. I'm so grateful for any comments, questions, and feedback as always. And Thanks for reading!


	20. Chapter 20

How could the day fly by and drag on at the same time?' Fenton silently mused, as he walked out of the classroom and towards his locker. Somehow the school day was already over but it felt like just a minute ago he was sitting in the passenger seat of Jazz's car and pointedly ignoring her questions. (_What was that, this morning? What's going on with you and Phantom? Are you okay?)_. He'd refused to answer, above 'nothing' and 'I'm fine' and 'stop butting in, Jazz.' She'd dropped it once she realized he wasn't going to talk but Fenton could still feel her glare as he walked away from her, once they got to school.

To the boy's relief, Sam and Tucker hadn't said anything either. Not about the brief awkwardness between him and Phantom last night or his mom's behavior. Overall his classes with them and lunch were normal: trading notes and whispering in class, talking and joking at lunch. It really should have been a nice day. Since it was an early release day, classes were short and laid back. They'd watched a movie in english. For once, he'd gotten to just walk around the gym and chatted with his friends during PE. Math and science hadn't been boring for once. But with the unease lingering in the corner of his mind, things seemed to drag on all the same.

Now Fenton was standing at his locker. His stomach churned, anxiety mounting at the thought of going home. Even if the school day hadn't been the most enjoyable, it'd been a distraction from...everything. But now he had to go home and face his sister, his parents, and…..Phantom. He didn't know how he'd face his ghost after everything but-

"Hey, Danny." Sam walking up beside him shook the boy out of his thoughts. "So, are we going to hang out at your house today?"

Tucker stood beside her. "Yeah! We've got two more hours for video games. And no homework!"

Fenton's stomach flopped again in indistinct worry but his friends were beaming at the idea of playing video games with presumably both of him. And well… Fenton wasn't really in a gaming mood but if it could make his friends happy…..

The human forced a slight smile. "Yeah, let's go."

After closing his locker, Fenton started walking towards his house with his friends.

* * *

Overall, the day had been good for Phantom. Well...after the awkwardness at breakfast and the guilt over lying to his parents, it had been good relaxing, playing video games, and letting himself get lost in his book.

Now the ghost lounged on the couch. He turned the page of his book, muttering to himself. "Man, this is good. I should have read this sooner."

Suddenly the front door opened, getting the ghost boy's attention. He turned to find Fenton coming through the door, followed by Sam and Tucker.

"Hi Danny." Tucker grinned at the ghostly version of his friend.

In response, Phantom sat up, tilting his head. "Hey, guys. How are you home so early?"

"It was an early release day." Sam said.

"Cool." Phantom nodded. He paused for a second, finding someone missing. "Where's Jazz?"

It was then Fenton finally looked at his ghost briefly before looking down again. "She didn't get here before us?"

"No." The ghost shook his head, answering the question. He felt his previous good mood evaporating.

"She probably had a club meeting or something." His human half suggested.

Phantom nodded, accepting the explanation and feeling a bit of relief; Jazz's questioning was delayed for the time being. But that relief was short lived as the ghost remained silent and his human didn't respond. The ghost boy shifted nervously in the air. It was getting awkward; Fenton was looking down and biting his lip, refusing to look at the ghost again. Sam quickly looked between the two Dannys with furrowed brow, a troubled expression on her face. Tucker appeared more bewildered than anything.

After a few moments, the technogeek coughed, breaking the silence. "So...videos games?"

Phantom and Fenton both turned to him. The ghost blinked, catching up to what Tucker was asking.

"Yeah." "Okay." "Let's play." Came the responses from the other teens in the room.

"But first." Tucker rubbed his hands together. "You guys got any snacks?"

Fenton replied. "Yeah. Let's go raid the pantry."

At the same time, Phantom couldn't help but chuckle, if a bit nervously. Leave it to Tucker to break the tension. The ghost watched as the two teenage boys almost jogged to the kitchen.

Sam walked up to him, gently elbowing the ghost boy. "Come on. Let's set up the game."

Minutes later, Sam and Phantom had turned on the console, loaded the game, and connected the controllers. Tucker and Fenton returned with bags of chips and cookies and all four picked up their controllers and started playing.

* * *

Fenton wanted to enjoy the video games. He really did and he tried but it just….

"Sam! That's cheating!" Tucker argued.

His stomach was flopping, his palms sweating. He looked at the screen. Where were they again?

"No it's not! You're just being a sour loser."

The tv showed their final times with a spectacular car crash in the background. Was that his car….and Phantom's? Huh, looks like they tied for last. Again.

"Danny! Come on you have to side with me!"

Sam and Tucker were arguing about something but he couldn't take in the words. All he registered…. Phantom glancing at him warily, neon green eyes shining. Dread balled in his guilt, his heart heavy. The human looked down, wringing his hands. Why did he keep feeling like this?

"You don't have to side with Tucker. We both know he's wrong."

The ghost glanced down again, eyes focusing on the floor and a greenish blush rising on his face. Fenton felt a lump forming in his throat.

"Are you okay, man?" Tucker was staring at the human version of his friend.

The human Danny shook his head. He couldn't do this right now. He couldn't keep doing this. He needed to do better, to be better, to be okay.

"Danny?" Came Sam's question. She looked between the two.

Both Dannys swallowed and Fenton cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just not…."

"Really that into this game today." Phantom continued his thought, sending a small wave of confusion through the human. He wasn't sure if the ghost was covering for him, also felt uneasy himself, or really just wasn't into the game today.

Sam put the controller down. "Alright." She said, a slightly raised eyebrow suggesting she didn't completely buy the excuse. "Do you want to watch a movie instead?"

Phantom sighed. "Not really."

Fenton shook his head, agreeing that another movie marathon didn't sound that appealing. "Nah."

Sam and Tucker looked between each other questioningly before the barrett-wearing boy shrugged. "We could get out a board game?"

Phantom just crossed his arms and shook his head, frowning. At the same time, Fenton gave his friends a questioning look.

"Well, what do you want to do then?" Sam asked.

The two Danny remained frowning with vaguely sad looks until Tucker snapped his fingers. "Let's go to the mall."

Everyone turned to the technogeek with wide, skeptical eyes. Then Phantom's frown deepened and Fenton could feel his other half's subtle annoyance. "How exactly am I supposed to go out in public?" He motioned up and down his body, a hint of hurt entering his voice. "I'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"Nah Dude." Tucker denied. "Not if you change your clothes."

Phantom's mouth fell open, then his eyes narrowed. "I'm/ he's glowing." Both Danny's said in unison, tone flat like it was the most stupidly obvious thing.

There was a brief gasp as Fenton noticed the duel speech but the human powered through. "Sam, tell Tucker this is a bad idea."

Turning towards his goth friend, it was then Fenton noticed her eyes lighting up in realization. "No. It's a great idea."

"Sam!" Both Dannys chided at the same time, only to be ignored.

"The glow's barely noticeable and if we put Phantom in normal clothes…." The girl's eyes traveled up and down the ghost's figure. "Your skin's kinda green but if we do long sleeves and some make-up." Sam grinned wickedly. "No one would bat an eye."

"But...but my hair's white….and my eyes?" Phantom started.

"Say it's dyed. Plus weirdly colored contacts are all the rage." Somehow Sam's grin looked ever more wicked. "You'll look so punk."

"Oh no." Fenton's eyes widened, realizing what Sam was thinking.

At the same time, Phantom crossed his arms. "You are not dressing me up as a goth."

"You're already wearing more black than me." Sam motioned to Phantom, before waving casually. "Besides, I was thinking more punk or...black with the white hair…..you could pull off emo."

The ghost blink bewilderedly. "I'm sorry but...emo?" He frowned. " Besides you're missing something important." He pointed to himself and then Fenton. "We're identical. How are people not going to notice that?"

Sam frowned disappointedly, looking between the two Dannys before Tucker spoke up. "You're not really identical though." Phantom's eyes widened, slightly alarmed before Tucker clarified. "I mean, your hair and eyes are different."

"Yeah." Sam agreed. "And if you're wearing really different clothes, no one will notice how similar you look."

"I don't know…" The ghost bit his lip.

"Dude, we're losers. It's not like anyone will pay enough attention to us to notice anyway." Tucker said.

Fenton furrowed his brow, debating the merits of his friends' arguments. He looked between Sam and Tucker's eager faces and soon enough his resolve broke. "Fine." Fenton sighed. "I'm in." He glanced at his ghost, asking. "Phantom?"

The ghost boy leaned back, sounding resigned. "Yeah. Let's do it."

"Yes!" Sam hopped up, looking satisfied. Grabbing Phantom's hand, she pulled the ghost boy off the couch. "Let's go to your room. I was thinking, those black jeans you never wear. And a hoodie. I've got some makeup we can use." She pursed her lips. "We'll have to scrounge up some accessories...I might have some stuff in my bag."

Phantom raised a brow at her as the pair started up the stairs. "Did you plan this?"

"What? No." Sam scoffed, faux offended before grinning. "Maybe a bit…."

"You have been wanting me to go goth for years." The ghost shook his head before smiling teasingly. Sam's excitement was clearly brightening his mood. "And you just found the perfect opportunity, right?"

"I mean...come on." Sam raised her arms, turning towards him as they got to the top of the stairs. "What's more goth than a ghost? I can't not use this chance."

Phantom rolled his eyes, good naturedly. He playfully elbowed the girl in the side and quipped something back. Tucker jogged up behind saying something that earned a laugh from Phantom and a scowl from Sam.

But meanwhile, Fenton lingered a few steps behind. It was ironic really. Phantom looked to be in such a good mode, relaxed, bantering with Sam and Tucker like he should. But his human's stomach was in knots. He should be happy to, at the prospect of a fun afternoon out but instead…..

Fenton bit his lip. Tucker's statement about the two not being identical rang in his head, stinging. And not for his friend treating the two as different but...as a reminder of the truth. Fenton knew the two of them had contrasting features but over all, they were the same. Fenton knew he'd (they'd) been able to look like Phantom before the ghost catcher but…..

His own fear-filled eyes in the mirror after uncontrollably transforming, flashed in his mind. Denial, that hadn't been his face because he wasn't a ghost. Well, neither of him was in denial anymore but even still, looking at Phantom was like looking in a funhouse mirror. Like seeing himself, but not. Like he knew that's what he looked like, but it wasn't HIS face. The human looked down, guilt spiking. Maybe this difference between what he knew and what he felt was from seeing his ghost self from the outside or just because being a ghost was still so new. But he still wished he could just get over these feelings, just be comfortable like he should be.

Fenton arrived at the door to his room and stepped inside. Sam was looking through his closet, pulling out garments and shoving them at Phantom while Tucker smirked on the bed.

"Oh! How about this!?" Sam pulled out a hoodie- black and white patch work with holes and many zippers.

Phantom inspected it. "When did I even get this?"

"I think it was that time we went thrift shopping. "Tucker smirked. "You bought it because Sam thought it was hot on you."

The ghost boy (and his human counterpart) blushed while Sam gave an offended gasp, glaring daggers at Tucker.

Despite his embarrassment, Fenton relaxed. Maybe his friends were right. This is what he...both of him needed. To get out of the house. To act like a normal, human teenager. A change of scenery. A distraction. A chance to act like everything was okay.

* * *

Phantom wasn't as relaxed as he pretended to be, at least at first. But he tried and well….bantering with Sam and Tucker always made him feel better.

After getting over his embarrassment (he remembered buying this hoodie and it wasn't because Sam thought it looked good on him!), the ghost boy took the jacket from Sam's hand. He studied it with furrowed brow before nodding. "I guess this will work."

"It is really different from what you normally wear." Tucker added.

Phantom glanced at his human self, clad in mid-wash jeans and a white and red shirt.

"That's true." Fenton said, eyes focused on the hoodie.

Sam rolled her eyes before throwing a pair of black jeans at the ghost. "Stop gawking and get dressed. Then I'll do your makeup."

The ghost groaned. "Do we have to?"

In response, Sam gave him a pointed look. "Yes."

Phantom wrinkled his nose in disgust but did as he was told. A quick trip into the bathroom and he soon returned, finding Fenton sitting on the bed beside Tucker with Sam occupying the desk chair.

Again, a wave of awkwardness passed through him. The three were relaxed, talking and laughing. His human half was actually smiling for once. And it, everything, was so strange. Is this what him hanging out with his friends looked like from the outside?

The moment passed when the other teens turned towards him.

Tucker whistled. "Man." He grinned. "Don't you think he looks good Sam?"

Phantom's face lit up green in embarrassment, Fenton's also turning an equally vivid shade of red. Sam however looked torn: a blush covered her face but at the same time she looked like she wanted to hit Tucker. In response, the technogeek cringed, leaning away from the goth sheepishly.

But no blows came. Sam dislodged whatever she was feeling away with a shake of her head. "Come on. " She waved Phantom over. "I want to actually have some time at the mall."

Sam stood before ushering him into the chair. And what followed was a whirl of motion. Powders the boy couldn't identify, soft makeup puffs(?) patting his face, pointy things uncomfortably close to his eyes.

Sam brushed something over his closed eyelids. "And...there. You can open your eyes." The boy did, just as his friend took a step back and assessed her work. "Pretty good, if I do say so myself."

Sam's self satisfied smile had Phantom looking at the girl warily. He then glanced at Tucker who still sat on the bed. The ghost boy swallowed. "Tuck. Be honest. How bad is it?"

Sam gave an offended gasps but before she could retort, their other friend cut her off. "You should… check it out yourself dude."

The lack of a real answer made the ghost tense but he obeyed, floating off of the chair and towards the mirror hanging on his closet door.

His eyes widened in pleasant surprise at the sight. Instead of the dark, obvious gothic makeup he had expected, it was light, subtle, almost natural. His stomach flopped, complex emotions pricking his core as he assessed the outfit as well. On one hand, it was so strange to see himself (his ghostly self) out of his jumpsuit and in clothes so out of his comfort zone. A feeling of unease, of displacement rose. He barely looked like himself, like Phantom. Again, like after right after the accident, he was practically looking at a stranger in the mirror.

But on the other hand, he was in normal (ish) clothes. With the makeup, the sickly, greenish undertone was almost nonexistent. Instead, he looked almost….human. Like just a normal, if pale, kid. And at once it felt so good (he missed looking like a human, being a human, being normal, alive so much). But his stomach also flopped anxiously. That, in the mirror, wasn't really him. The image, the illusion, wasn't real. He wasn't human anymore and no amount of makeup would change that.

Movement behind him, reflected in the mirror, caught Phantom's attention. His eyes feel on his black-haired counterpart, his human counterpart. The ghost shook his head; maybe the 'fact' that he wasn't human anymore wasn't actually true. He was part human even if he didn't feel like it. And he didn't need to be so negative.

The ghost almost smiled, watching Fenton muttering something to Tucker, earning a chuckle from the geek. Then the human looked up and their eyes met through the reflection. A second later, Fenton looked away and Phantom's core fell.

Tension rose again, making the ghost stiffen but before he could react, something poked him on the shoulder. He whipped around to find Sam looking at him expectantly. "So what do you think?"

"I think…." another side glance at the mirror. "I'll pass as human."

What could be a concerned look passed over Sam's face at the neutral answer and another spike of guilt ( from constantly worrying his friends) prickled his core.

"A very goth human." Fenton added, swallowing.

Sam turned towards the human version of her friend. "Oh, so you approve?"

Fenton put his hands up. "I didn't say that but….I don't think anyone's going to notice us now, with Phantom dressed like...that." He motioned up and down the ghost's boy.

"Yep, just a normal, human teenager." Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. "Definitely not actually a ghost...or looking strangely similar to a certain someone."

"You're going to be fine." Sam said, surprisingly understanding.

"Yeah dude." Tucker stood up. "And we're going to have a great time. Now let's go!"

With no more debate, the group of teens left Fentonwork and walked a few blocks to the mall. Phantom forced a smile, trying to believe it.

* * *

The four chatted during the walk to the mall. Like his ghostly counterpart, Fenton started the journey nervous. What if they got discovered? What if someone noticed the two near identical teens? Or that Phantom was a ghost? But then again…..no one believed in ghosts, except his parents. And Phantom looked so different from normal, compared to his more ghostly appearance. So who would possibly notice?

"We were in...fifth grade when that happened, I think?" Sam was asking.

"Yeah. We had that teacher with the buckteeth and a wig. She was always carrying a cane too." Phantom stuffed his hands in his pockets and idley kicked a rock on the sidewalk. He was making a concerted effort to walk, instead of floating, to Fenton's relief.

"Mrs. Graves." Tucker added. "Man, she was creepy."

"The way she'd just stare at you like she could see into your soul and that scratchy voice." The ghost shivered.

A second later Fenton also shivered, remembering. "Yeah, She freaked me out man."

"I don't know." Sam shook her head. "I kinda admired her ability to strike fear in her victims…..I mean students."

"Because you weren't in her class!" Tucker argued, putting his hands up.

"Seriously Sam? She was awful." Phantom crossed his arms.

"But that witchy aesthetic! And that attitude? That was a woman who wasn't taking anyone's crap." Sam shrugged.

"Sounds like you have something in common." Tucker muttered, earning a elbow jab from Sam.

Just then the group walked through the front doors of the mall. Fenton stopped, taking the area in. The lit store fronts, the play area at the far end, the benches and potted plants in the long, carpet stripe between stores. All the people milling about- a few eldery couples, mothers with small kids, a frowning man carrying many bags and trailing two women, even some kids he recognized from school. And….he looked side to side, tension rising. In front of him, Phantom had also stilled with shoulders raised.

"You're fine. No one's looking at you." Sam muttered to the ghost who relaxed slightly.

"I….yeah. I'm fine." Phantom swallowed. "Thanks Sam." Tucker then patted him on the back. "Thanks Tuck."

A second later, Sam turned to face Fenton, sending him a concerned look. "Are you good too?"

The human Danny swallowed as well. "Yeah. I'm….I'm fine."

Was it the truth? Or was he saying it in hopes he'd feel fine? Despite himself, the boy shifted awkwardly. With one eyebrow raised, Phantom turned towards him but the human averted his eyes again.

"So…." Tucker cut in. "do you guys wanna go to Gamestop?"

"Sounds good to me." Sam shrugged.

"Sure." Phantom said as Fenton nodded.

"Awesome!" Tucker smiled. "Come on. We can check out that new Zombie Slammer Game!"

Zombie Slammer? Oh yeah, that had come out recently. A hint of excitement tickled Fenton's mind. He'd been looking forward to that. "Yeah. Let's go." He started after Tucker with Sam and Phantom just behind.

"Is this it?" Fenton stopped in front of the display.

Tucker's eyes widened. "Yeah. Oh man, look at this!" He pulled the case off the shelf.

"Woah." Sam pointed. "That's a nice cover." She scanned the blurb on the back. "I heard they did this cool thing with a branching storyline. So I was reading this blog post and…." She trailed off, eyes focusing on a tv and console set up a few shelves over. "Look, they have it on that console."

The four quickly walked over, huddling around the display.

Tucker's eyes widened. "Look at those graphics."

Taking in the screen, Fenton's eyes lit up. "It's so…."

"That's so…." Phantom started.

"Realistic" Both Dannys mouthed at the same time, eyes wide with awe before both blushed realizing the reaction.

Sam and Tucker just laughed in response. Sam's smile turned up and she pointed at the single available controller. "I'm gonna try it out."

The boy watched Sam play for a few minutes, a smile slowly growing on Fenton's face.

"No. No. No. Ugg Come on." Sam muttered as her character died.

Several laughs rang out at her distress but the girl just groaned, putting down the controller.

"Oh, oh. Me next! Me next!" Tucker exclaimed, shuffling to the spot Sam was previously occupying.

The technogeek enthusiastically pressed the buttons on the controller. "Come on. Come on. Yes!"

The other teens also gave a cheer, earning a glare from some adults passing the store.

Both Dannys blushed self consciously before turning attention back to the game. "Tuck! Look out." Fenton admonished, purposefully quieter than before.

"Ahh." A slightly startled cry came from the barrett-wearing boy as his character dodged. Then he sighed in relief. "Thanks man."

"No problem." Fenton smiled.

More quips and laughs came as they watched Tucker play and then Phantom took the controller. The ghost smiled at the screen. Fenton could see and feel his ghost relaxing and his own body, his own mind (part of their mind?) relaxing in kind. This was nice, being at the mall, just hanging out with Sam and Tucker. He was glad he'd, both of him, had agreed to do this.

"Shoot." Just then Phantom's character died but he stayed smiling comfortably. "Here you go." He handed the controller to his human self who took the device.

But before he started, the human boy suddenly stiffened, feeling eyes on him. He looked up, eyes falling on a red-haired teenage boy about his age who was standing outside the store and staring at the group oddly.

"What is it?" Sam asked, noticing his sudden change in behavior."

"Someone's staring at us." Fenton whispered.

Beside him, Phantom also stiffened. "Who is that?"

Tucker squinted, also studying the figure. "It's that kid on the basketball team who's always going on about aliens in Area 51. Name starts with a W." The boy started snapping his finger, trying to remember. "Will, or Walt, or Wayne, or…."

"Wes." Phantom suggested.

Fenton nodded in agreement; that name did ring a bell.

"That's it." Tucker confirmed.

"What should we do?" Fenton hissed quietly.

"Just ignore him. He'll go away if-" Phantom started, equally quietly.

"Fenton!" Wes barked, walking towards them.

"Or not." Fenton muttered, crossing his arms.

The redhead stopped in front of the group. "Since when do you have a twin brother?"

Fenton gaped, mind screeching to a stop. "What...what are you talking about?"

Wes pointed at both Fenton and Phantom, clearly bewildered. "You two look pretty much identical."

The two Dannys exchanged panicked looks. "He's my...my" "I'm his..his.." Their eyes widened at the dual speech and Phantom's mouth snapped shut.

Fenton swallowed. "This is my...my….cousin?" It sounded more like a question than a statement but he pushed forward. "Ummm His name is….uhhh."

"James." Phantom blurted out. "James….uhh...Fenton. Cause we're cousins on Dad's side."

"Both our dads' sides, Cause they're brothers…." Fenton stuttered.

"Yeah. We're definitely not more closely related than that. Nope. Don't even look alike, definitely not secretly the same-" A sudden kick in the shin from Sam silenced the disguised ghost.

Wes glanced between the nearly identical boys, an increasingly confused and exacerbated expression growing on his face. "Bull-"

"There you are Wes." Just then a dark-haired football player who Fenton recognized as Kwan and presumably one of Wes's friends walked around the corner. The newcomer approached the group, stopping beside Wes. "Why are you talking to these guys?"

Wes's frown deepened. "Fenton has a secret twin brother."

"No, he's not…" "We're..we're..cousins." "Yeah, we're cousins." "not twins, that's...that's ridiculous." Phantom and Fenton sputtered, talking over each other but at the same time, harmonising oddly so even Fenton could barely tell which boy was saying what.

"You're identical!" Wes exclaimed, cutting through the rambling.

"No they're not." Kwan cut in tilting his head. "He's clearly taller." He pointed to Phantom, who looked wide-eyed between Fenton and his own chest. "And the hair and eyes are different."

"He clearly dyes it, Kwan." The red-haired boy put one hand on his hip, pointing at Phantom with the other.

Kwan shook his head. "You can't dye dark hair that light."

"How do you know that?" Sam finally cut in crossing her arms.

The football player blushed. "No reason." He cleared his throat, addressing Phantom. "But still, are you naturally platinum blonde or…?"

The ghost's brow furrowed. "Uhh….yeah. This is all…. All natural."

Kwan nodded but Wes looked unconvinced. If anything he looked more vexed. He took a step forward, glaring at Phantom's head. "But that's white. Like actually….." His eyes widened, nose wrinkling. "Are you….glowing?"

Phantom took a step back and Fenton fought to not do the same as his heart pounded in his chest. He glanced at his ghost who was blushing vividly. And….was that green, actual visible green?! Crap.

"Uhhh…." The ghost boy blink startledly, unable to verbalize any response.

But Fenton could feel his panic, their shared panic. At being discovered as a ghost, a freak. Everyone would find out and they'd be a social pariah. People screaming, throwing things, kids crying. Monster. No. NO he's not, Phantom's not, they're not….

A snort for Kwan stopped the panicked spiral. "So that's what this is about?" The boy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at his friend.

"No. It's….I'm not…." Wes blushed tomato red. "He's...there's something…."

Kwan patted him on the back before the other athlete could respond. "If you're done, let's go. We're meeting Dash at Smoothie Shack, remember?"

Wes's mouth opened and closed for several moments before he swallowed. "Yeah...sure. Let's go Kwan."

The football player gave the group a wave as he ushered the redhead away. "Nice to meet you, Fenton's cousin."

Wes glared at the pair, human and disguised ghost, while both tried not to grimace… or hyperventilate. But soon enough the pair was out of earshot and both Dannys started rambling.

"I thought no one would recognize me!" "Wes….Wes he….how did he see that?" "And Kwan thinks Wes...yuck." "James! Our middle name! Really?" "I can't even believe this...we should just go home." "Pack up! Let's go before...before…"

"Danny!" Panicked whispers from Sam and Tucker stopped the rant and hands suddenly gripped each boy's shoulders, Sam in an effort to calm the human and Tucker to push down the unconsciously floating ghost.

Fenton's breathing slowed as he stared at Sam who was holding his shaking shoulders. "Sam?"

The girl nodded. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

"Yeah." Tucker added. "It was just Wes, the kid everyone thinks is a conspiracy nut. The worse that will happen is a rumor about you having a secret twin."

"Secret twin?" Fenton's voice rose on the last word.

Sam glared. "You're not helping Tucker." She turned attention back to Fenton. "Even if anyone else at school hears, they'll dismiss it and forget it five minutes later." She turned to Phantom. "It's going to be okay, both of you. Okay?"

"Okay." Phantom said.

After a pause, then Fenton said. "Okay."

The human sucked in a breath, shaking his head. It was okay, He was okay. They were okay. Sam was right. No one would believe Wes. It was crazy and they'd forget soon enough.

Seeing both Dannys calm, Sam and Tucker both stepped back before looking at each other. Tucker worried his lip. "If you guys still want to leave we can but…."

Fenton swallowed. Tucker looked disappointed at the thought of leaving, his shoulders falling. But what really pricked the human Dannys heart was his and Sam's wide, worried eyes. The human boy shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Let's get some food. Pha-" he cut off, finally noticing some of the other shoppers glancing at the teens either worriedly or judgmentally after the panicked outburst. "Uhhh cuz? You okay with staying?"

Phantom nodded. "Yeah…..I'm fine. Let's do that, yeah."

Even to Fenton it sounded forced but he said nothing as Sam and Tucker started walking towards the food court with both halves of their friend following.


	21. Chapter 21

Phantom silently skulked as Fenton and his friends waited in front of their chosen restaurants at the food court. He'd grabbed a table and sat crossed armed while trying to ignore the daggers Wes was still sending him and Fenton. He sighed, putting his head in his hands. Maybe going to the mall dressed as a normal, human teenager hadn't been the best idea. It would be just his luck one of his classmates would see through the disguise, if just partially. At least, Wes hadn't accused him of being a ghost, just well...his own twin brother.

In front of him, a chair scraped across the tile floor. "Still skulking?"

At Sam's questioning voice, the boy popped his head up. He fought to suppress a groan. "He's still staring at me like I have two heads."

Tucker walked up from behind, plopping down his tray and taking a seat beside Sam. "Well if you wanna be technical…." The boy motioned with his head towards a certain black-haired figure who was still waiting in line.

His eyes trailing his human self's back, the ghost paled. "Tuck. Please never imply that again."

The technogeek shrugged. "But you're both Danny so-"

Phantom cut him off. "Tucker."

"There's two of everything." The barrett-wearing boy finished with a grin, drawing out the last word. Both Sam and Phantom face palmed.

It was then Fenton walked up with his tray. He raised an eyebrow. "What's going on here?"

The ghost didn't bother to uncover his face. "Tucker's talking about our anatomy." He carefully emphasized the last word and Fenton turned beet-red, eyes widening.

Tucker sputtered, blushing. "That's not...I wasn't implying that." His head tilted, voice raising at the last word. "although-"

"Can we talk about something else?" Sam barked out, looking mortified.

"Yeah." Fenton took a seat beside Phantom before his eye drifted to something on the other side of the food court. "Wes is still glaring at us?"

Phantom nodded. "Yep."

Tucker and Sam both turned around, glancing at the basketball player. Tucker snickered. "Look at his face."

Sam shook her head. "I can't believe he thought you two were twins."

"Yeah." Tucker laughed. "It's not like you guys look anything alike."

Sam's eyes twinkled, her lips turning up. "Come on. There's barely a family resemblance."

Phantom looked between his friends disbelievingly, Fenton mirroring the expression. Noticing, Tucker wiped a fake tear and his laughter quieted. "You have to at least try and laugh at this. I mean, did you see his face when he walked up to us?"

The ghost thought back, picturing Wes's bewildered face. Slowly, he cracked a smile. "He did look kinda funny."

"Kinda? He looked like he thought he was going crazy!" Tucker exclaimed.

"And I'm sorry but...your reactions…." Sam shook her head, smiling teasingly. "Not suspicious at all."

"Yeah." The ghost boy rubbed the back of his neck. "That wasn't my best reaction…."

In all honesty, the blushing and stuttering had been horribly embarrassing and stressful. But in hindsight….

"Hey, at least you thought of something to say." Tucker added with a shrug.

"I'm surprised you didn't end up blurting out that you're 'not a ghost.'" Sam said putting the last words in air quotes.

The ghost opened his mouth in only partly faux offense. "Really?! I won't say something that dumb."

The girl crossed her arms, doing an impression of his voice. "We're definitely not secretly the same person." She quietly hissed out the last word.

Phantom blushed. "Hey! I didn't say that."

"Only 'cause Sam stopped you." Tucker said, almost laughing again. He looked between the two versions of his friend. "But seriously, this whole thing was worth it just for Wes's reaction."

"And Kwan's." Sam cracked a smile. "His reaction when Wes said you were glowing…." She wiggled her eyebrows and started laughing.

"And Wes turned as red as a lobster." Tucker added with a snort. "I hope the other A listers never let him live it down."

By that point, both friends were laughing in earnest at the ridiculous situation they'd just endured. Earlier, Phantom might have prickled at them laughing at his embarrassment. But now…. Phantom couldn't stop the laughter in response.

That is, until sudden anxiety raced up his spine and his mouth snapped shut. He turned towards Fenton who remained silent, almost tangible worry wafting off of him. The human boy had his fists clenched around his utensils, eyes focused on his plate.

Then Fenton looked up, glaring at his friends. "This isn't funny. Wes might still work it out." He put down his fork and crossed his arms. "Or heckle us until he weeds out the truth."

Sam shook her head, waving his concern off. "Wes will probably forget about this before Friday. He's not going to mess with you, Danny. "

"And if he does…." Tucker grinned mischievously. "You have ghost powers." The three other teens all turned to the technogeek with raised eyebrows, causing the boy to put up his hands innocently. "I mean, between there being two of you and your powers…" His grinned widened. "You can dish out so much chaos if he starts being a little shit."

Phantom leaned back, a small smile spreading across his face despite mixed emotions. He glanced at Fenton. "He does have a point."

Fenton tensed, avoiding his eyes. "We'll see…"

The ghost wasn't exactly sure what to make of the subdued reaction but then again...it made sense. The thought of using his abilities to mess with someone like Wes, to even get revenge on his bullies was tempting. Before he'd been powerless, too afraid of Dash or his cronies reciprocating or getting in trouble with teachers, to fight back. But now….he could literally turn invisible and walk through walls; he could do pretty much anything and not get caught. He frowned; that was not a thought he should feed into.

Sam clearly noticed Phantom's change in mood. She pushed her carton for fries towards him. "Do you want some?"

"No thanks." The ghost shook his head.

At the same time, Fenton remained silent, picking at his food. Sam and Tucker looked between each other, clearly concerned at the closed off reaction.

Tucker coughed. "Danny, we've got your back no matter what happens. You know that, right?"

The human Danny swallowed, looking up again. "Yeah." But this time, he wasn't meeting Sam and Tucker's eyes either.

Again, there was a silent stand-off. Fenton stirred his cartoon of chinese food. Tucker frowned at the human, concerned. And Sam, Sam was glaring at Phantom as if challenging him to speak. As if the ghost was the half she could more easily get answers from. But said ghost frowned, his stomach flopping as he watched Fenton. Confusion marred his face. He didn't get it, didn't understand what was going on with his human half. What was the boy thinking? Why was he closing himself off again, to his friends, to even himself? Fear crept through the ghost's core. Why was he having so much trouble knowing what was going on inside his own mind?

"You guys should eat before your food gets cold." Fenton broke the silence.

That provoked Sam and Tucker to look down at their dinners. Frown falling farther, Tucker picked up his sub. But a moment later, Sam was glaring at the two Dannys again with crossed arms until her eyes met Phantom's. She must have seen something- maybe his confusion, his fear- because her eyes softened. Looking resigned, she started on her own food.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Or well, the humans ate. The ghost sat, trying not to wring his hands, trying not to look awkward. Oh, who was he kidding? He felt awkward, of course he looked awkward. He felt so out of place, again. Why was he always feeling like this?

A tingling sensation suddenly spread from his fingertips, up his arms. Glancing down, the boy barely suppressed a startled yelp. His fingers had disappeared, the invisibility slowly spreading. He hadn't slipped like this since before the ghost catcher. With wide-eyes, he forced his hands under the table and focused on stopping the powers. He couldn't do this, not here, not now. He needed to look normal, like the human teen he was pretending to be. He needed to be visible, to be seen. But oh, oh. He didn't want to be seen. Not at all, It took all his willpower to not turn invisible completely and just fly away. But he couldn't do that. He couldn't leave his friends who'd been so excited about spending time with him, who were trying so hard to make him feel loved and accepted. Like he was still himself, still their friends Danny despite being a freaking ghost and split in half. Why did he even-

"Dude are you okay?" Tucker asked. And suddenly, Phantom was back at the table, not in his panicked thoughts.

"I'm fine." Came the dual answer.

Phantom looked over at his human self. The boy's hands were shaking slightly, his face uncharacteristically hard.

Tucker frowned. "We can go back to your house if you want. We don't have to stay if you're not having a good time."

Just like that, the tingling in the ghost boy's hands stopped. He placed his now visible hands on the table. "No, it's fine. Let's stay."

Fenton nodded. "Yeah. You guys were having so much fun. We can't leave yet."

"Danny?" Sam raised a brow, challengingly.

"I wanna stay." It was said forcefully, in perfectly sync, as one. Fenton and Phantom both looked up, both pairs of eyes focused on their friends before both slumped back with crossed arms.

Sam and Tucker blinked at the pair for a few seconds before the weird harmony ended. Phantom uncrossed his arms, shifting awkwardly in his chair while Fenton stayed still. The ghost frowned. At least he and Fenton could agree on this, even if they were way out of sync on pretty much everything else.

"Okay." Their goth friend raised a brow skeptically. "We'll stay if you're sure."

Out the corner of his eye, Phantom could see Fenton glaring at her with little heat….until the human noticed him looking and looked down.

Phantom swallowed. "We're sure." He wasn't sure, actually. Wasn't even sure he could still speak for both of them. But if he could just keep acting like things were normal, like he was okay….

Tucker looked between the two Dannys and Sam. "I'm done eating. Do you guys wanna go to F.Y.E?"

"Yeah. And Hot Topic?" Sam asked.

The technogeek rolled his eyes. "Sure we can go to Hot Topic."

"Sounds good to me." Phantom said.

"Yeah. Let's go." Fenton stood up and grabbed his tray. He walked to the trash can and threw away his empty food carton.

Sam and Tucker did the same and the group walked off, towards the entertainment store.

* * *

The teens browsed the passing shop windows, equal parts admiring and making fun of the clothes and other contents behind. They walked into F.Y.E, the entertainment store brimming with blue-rays, cds, vinyls and tv and movie merchandise. So many things to look at, to ohh and ahh over with his friends. And Phantom would have enjoyed it….if Fenton would look at him.

The disguised ghost stood with Sam, looking over t-shirt designs. The girl pointed to one shirt near the top. "Oo. I like that one." It was black of course, with a character Phantom vaguely recognized from an anime he'd watched with her.

"That one's cool too." He motioned in front of him, to a shirt with a quote from a popular movie.

From behind them, Tucker's voice and occasionally Fenton's drifted across the store. Phantom could barely make out their words. They were browsing the bluetooth headphones, the area Tucker always headed to first.

Soon after coming into the store, Phantom noticed it. Almost unconsciously their group had split in half. And it stayed that way, even as both pairs ended up browsing the blue-rays. Fenton stayed on the other end of the aisle or a row over. Phantom passed him to go to the cds and the human didn't acknowledge him, instead keeping his head down and his hands in his pockets. The ghost caught just a glimpse of his frown. There was a spike of guilt and anxiety from the boy and then Fenton turned his attention back to looking through the stacks of music. And Phantom bit his lip. This avoidance, this tension might just kill him if he wasn't dead already.

Sam was pulling him out of the store, after Tucker and his human half. They walked into Hot Topic and the dim lights, crowded rows, and loud music just increased his anxiety and darkened his mood. The ghost boy browsed the merchandise. He glanced at his human self out the corner of his eye. The boy was skulking in the corner with his arms crossed. With the deep scowl on his face, Fenton would have looked more goth than Phantom, were it not for his more brightly colored clothing. The ghost turned away, ignoring the turbulent emotions the scene sent through him.

More browsing. T-shirts, tank tops, jeans, legging. Bags, hats, socks, jewelry, pins and patches. So much gothic and pop culture stuff. Most of the store contained things he'd never want to wear. But some of the galaxy print stuff was cool.

Sam was standing in front of a display, an almost wicked grin on her face. "I think you need some goth accessories."

Phantom shook his head. "No. I don't."

The girl blinked at him, an almost pleading look on her face. After a brief silent stare down, the ghost rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll look." He walked forward anyway, deciding to indulge her.

His goth friend smiled again, pointing. "Look they have galaxy print plugs. If you got your ear pierced…" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Phantom gave her a deadpan look. "Seriously?"

"I'm kidding, obviously." She then grinned, teasingly. "But they would look really good on you."

The ghost crossed his arms, trying to look annoyed despite a hint of fondness in his eyes from the teasing. "Sam." He said pointedly.

"Okay." The girl gave in. "I was really thinking about these bracelets, this choker, and some pins for your jacket."

Tilting his head, the boy studied the accessories Sam was pointing at. His nose wrinkled. "No chokers. And I don't wear bracelets."

"But you'll love these!" Sam pulled the bracelets off the display and handed it to him. "The one with the cord has the NASA emblem. And this one has a charm of the space shuttle."

Phantom held the jewelry up to his face. "Are those beads supposed to be the planets?" His face lit up. "Yeah, that one's earth. And this one's Mars. Oh, they even put a ring around Saturn."

"You like it, don't you?" Sam said knowingly.

Realizing the excitement he'd shown in the past statement...and he actually liked something Sam picked out, the boy huffed. "Yeah. I do actually."

"Yes!" Sam pumped her fist. "They have a tone of pins too. This one's from Star Trek. There's a bunch of superhero ones. Oh, this little dragon's cute." The girl grinned, her eyes falling on one particular pin. "It's a cat with a knife!" She was so enthusiastic, it was almost infectious. The ghost boy could feel a smile creeping back onto his face, in response to his friend's glee. But he never got a chance to respond.

"Danny!" At Tucker calling their name, both the ghost boy and his human counterpart turned to look at him. "Check it out!"

The technogeek was grinning proudly, holding up a white hoodie with bluish-purple galaxy print sleeves and hood. The front read Comet me Boo with a little cartoon ghost floating above the pocket.

The ghost boy tilted his head. It wasn't that bad (he did love space and puns). But Fenton clearly felt very different. The boy narrowed his eyes, glaring. He wrinkled his nose in disgust before his expression turned neutral. He deadpanned. "Over my dead body."

Tucker gave a questioning look before grinning. "If you say so." He threw the hoodie at Phantom.

The ghost boy gaped, staring at the garment in his hands as Tucker started laughing. His brow furrowed. His friend was laughing. He was laughing. But...what was the joke? He blinked at the technogeek, questioningly.

"What? It's funny." Tucker wiped eyes which were watering from mirth. "He said over my…. And you're…." He motioned up and down the ghost's body.

Phantom paled, realization hitting him. Dread balled in his gut. At the same time, Fenton's shoulders rose. Tension, almost physical, cut through the store. Over my dead body….. The emotional tidal wave washed over the ghost. Dread, anxiety, fear. Overwhelming, dark, and now far too familiar emotions. But most startlingly, there was a gut wrenching punch of anger, sudden sharp anger.

"That wasn't funny." Fenton glared at Tucker, voice sharp.

The technogeek held up his hands, suddenly looking bashful. "Sorry dude."

The human growled. "Phantom's not…I'm not...That's not what I meant."

"Danny?" Sam questioned.

"I'm..I'm not dead." Fenton's voice was suddenly low, eyes fixed on the floor.

Phantom remained frozen, watching Fenton, watching himself on the edge of a meltdown. His core was pulsing rapidly in his chest, his breath quickening though he didn't have to breath. Dread continued to mount.

Tucker paled, glancing between the two Dannys. "I am so sorry. I should not have joked about that."

Fenton shook his head, his gaze flickering up. "Ya think?!"

"Danny?" Sam said, a hint of anger rising in her voice.

If anything the reaction pushed Fenton onward. "How could you joke about that Tucker?!" The boy gritted his teeth. "You know, you know what happened to me."

"I didn't mean to upset you, dude. I know this is serious." The technogeek looked down guiltily.

"Didn't mean to!" Fenton's voice rose and with it his anger. The emotion almost wrapped around Phantom, digging into his core. The ghost narrowed his eyes. Maybe his emotions were harmonizing with his other half's so both felt the same. Maybe it was days of frustration- with his situation, with his parents' reactions, with himself- finally mounting. But something in Phantom snapped.

"You were joking about Phantom being my-" Fenton's hissed words were cut off by a surprised cry as cold hands suddenly wrapped tightly around his arm.

Phantom glared at his human and without a word, he intangibly pulled both of them through the fitting room door into a luckily empty room. The ghost hissed in his counterpart's face. "What is wrong with you?!"

Fenton roughly pulled his arm out of Phantom's hand and stumbled back. "Don't do that." He growled.

"Well, don't yell at our friends like that!" The ghost held up his hands.

The human gritted his teeth. "Tucker...he was joking about-"

"I know what he said! I was there. But you cannot just yell at him in public."

"But-" Fenton's fists balled.

"No! Sam and Tucker have been the best damn friends we could ask for. They didn't ask to deal with...this." The ghost boy waved around vaguely. "But they are. And I'm not putting up with you being a jackass to them!"

Instantly, Fenton paled. His anger visibly evaporated as his shoulders fell. He looked down, blushing in obvious shame. "Sorry." He muttered.

Phantom calmed at the reaction. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's...well it's not okay. But we'll work on making sure it doesn't happen again?"

Fenton said nothing, somehow looking even more closed off. It was disconcerting; somehow the anger was less worrying than whatever this was. Face softened, Phantom took a step forward and gently put his hand on his other half's arm again. There was a sharp, almost painful surge of guilt, shame, and anxiety. But then the human stiffened and pulled away again. The boy wrapped his arms around himself and stood with his back pressed against that wall.

Earlier, the reaction would have stabbed Phantom's core painfully. Now...well, it still hurt but having just come off his anger, adrenaline (or whatever the ghostly equivalent was) was still running rampant. Frustration flared and Phantom's more understanding facial expression disappeared.

"Fenton. Look at me." The ghost demanded.

No response came.

Phantom crossed his arms, frowning deepening. "So you're back to refusing to look at me?"

Fenton's head remained fixed down, his posture somehow becoming even more tense.

"And now you're giving me the silent treatment." The ghost's expression hardened as he glared at the human. The other boy squirmed awkwardly under his gaze; his eyes flickered up briefly but not far enough to reach Phantom's face.

"You know," Phantom started, severe exacerbation in his voice. "I can't tell what's going on in the thick skull of yours." He gritted his teeth. "You have to freaking _talk_ to me if we're going to deal with whatever the hell this is."

Fenton continued to stand there, physically and even mentally closed off. Phantom didn't know how he could tell but somehow the human was blocking his emotions from being communicated to his ghost. The ghost boy mentally reached out but seemed to hit some kind of barrier. That finally did him in.

"Whatever." Phantom put hands up as he was being flippant. His tone was anything but. "Whatever. I'm done. I'm having a crap time because of you. This could have been fun but you're making this unbearable. I'm going home." His voice was tight, cold, almost seething. He stalked forward, his fists balled. "Whenever you're done pouting or whatever the hell this is, let me know so we can talk and actually deal with our shit."

The ghost hovered for a moment, half-hoping for an actual reaction. Fenton just twitched under the gaze. Without another word, Phantom floated up and phased through the ceiling.

* * *

For several minutes, Fenton stood in the Hot Topic fitting room, with his back still pressed up against the wall. His stomach churned. His heart fluttered anxiously. He couldn't seem to rid himself of the tension paralyzing his body. And he couldn't sort out his warring emotions. Anger still prickled at his heart. He'd just been chewed out by Phantom, by _himself._ It was deserved at least particularly. He shouldn't have yelled at Tucker, especially not in public. He scoffed. He'd done it in the middle of Hot Topic, no less, like he was some emo teenage delinquent…...Maybe that was sadly accurate. Embarrassment flared at that thought and he blushed. Oh no. Please, please. He'd died (again) if someone at school had heard any of that and rumors started. What happened with Wes was bad enough, but then he just had to make a scene because he couldn't control his own damn emotions…..And then came the shame again worse than the potential embarrassment. Though he still prickled, angry at his ghost, his other half was right. Sam and Tucker have been great and he was just a jerk to them.

Just then a knock sounded at the door. "Danny?" Came Sam's voice.

"Dude? Are you okay?" Tucker asked.

Another spike of guilt. He literally just yelled at those two and now they were checking on him, asking if he was okay? His heart sank. He really should respond, stop worrying them. But the boy couldn't seem to muster a reply.

"Danny?" Sam asked again. Her voice quieted. "At least say something so we know you guys didn't fly off."

They hadn't….well, half of them hadn't. Fenton balled his fists. Phantom had just flown off. He'd ditched them. The human's shoulder's rose, remembering that cold angry tone, how Phantom had glared at him.

"Alright." Tucker sighed. "I'm trying the door. Say something if you're in there."

Seconds later, the door rattled open and a concerned-looking Sam and Tucker stood in the doorway. Their eyes instantly feel on the human Danny. Then both surveyed the room as if looking for something...or someone.

"Where's the other Danny?" Tucker finally asked.

Fenton pushed himself off the wall. With his arms still crossed, he couldn't keep the edge out of his voice. "He went home. Said he was having a crap time."

"Really?" Sam said, her eyes wide with disappointment.

Tucker's expression fell, guilt clear on his face. "I'm so sorry man about what I said earlier." The boy apologized, obviously assuming he was the reason Phantom left. That wasn't the case (a weird mixture of guilt and anger prickled at that thought….because it was Fenton's fault) but the guilty expression made Fenton's face soften.

"It's fine Tucker. I...I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Fenton looked down.

"No." Tucker shook his head. "I should have known better than to joke about that, especially with some of the stuff other you told us."

The human Danny looked up, blinking confusedly at his friend. "What?"

Sam frowned, biting her lip. "On Saturday. Phantom told us some stuff about how you feel about... the accident."

Tucker looked down guilty. "I should have known death jokes were off the table after he told us...that."

Fenton's face remained blank, showing no recognition of the conversation.

Sam tilted her head. "You didn't know?"

"No." Fenton crossed his arm, annoyance prickling again. "He didn't tell me."

Sam and Tucker looked between each other. Then Tucker blushed sheepishly. "I guess I keep forgetting you don't automatically know what the other one does."

Fenton looked at the two skeptically but didn't say anything.

Sam raised a brow but changed the subject. "You said Phantom went home. Do you want to head back too?"

"Not really." Fenton huffed. He did not like the idea of seeing Phantom yet, not after what just happened.

Sam's concerned expression deepened. "Are you okay?"

Obviously his displeasure at his ghost half was too plain on his face. The boy tried to school his expression. "I'm fine."

Tucker and Sam looked between each other again before both stepped inside the room and closed the door. What were they doing? Fenton had to resist the urge to bite his lip nervously.

"Fenton." Sam asked seriously. "Is everything okay between you and Phantom?"

Fenton swallowed, suddenly nervous about being called that name by Sam. "We're fine."

Tucker raised a brow skeptically. "Really?"

"Yes." A hint of annoyance bled into his voice. "I'm fine. Phantom's fine. We're fine."

"Danny man, that's-" Tucker started.

But Fenton cut him off. "Can we just go guys? Everything's okay." He walked towards the door, intent on leaving but his friends were blocking the door. "Come on guys. I'm fine, really?" More annoyance and a hint of desperation entered his tone.

Annoyance also entered Sam's voice. "You can talk to us about this."

"Sam, it's-" The human Danny shook his head.

"We've talked about this!" Sam put up her hands. "You don't have to block us out."

"We just want to help." Tucker added.

"I don't need help. I'm fine." Fenton argued.

"No you're not." Sam raised her voice. "You're clearly not fine. So stop saying you're fine!"

"I'm fine!" The human Danny finally yelled. "I have to be!" Just like that the angry look on Sam's face evaporated. "I have to be fine, okay! I have to be!" More words were already pouring out of Fenton, as if the floodgates finally opened and nothing could hold back the torrent. "I mean, Mom and Dad are freaking out. They have no idea what's happening. None. They're trying to hide it but they're freaked out. Mom won't even say that I'm a ghost for crying out loud." The boy held up his hands. "It's a miracle you and Tucker and Jazz aren't spazzing over this. I'm probably going to get found out because of Wes freaking Weston. I still don't know half of what happening to me."

"Danny." Sam cut in quietly.

"I'm not even your Danny!" Fenton registered Sam paling at the statement but continued. "I'm literally half of him. I'm half a freaking person. I'm….I'm broken." His voice wavered on the word, betraying the pain just under his anger. "I'm broken and I have no idea how to put myself back together. And, and half the time, I'm scared of the other half of me. I'm still terrified at the thought of being a ghost. So no! I'm not freaking okay! But I have to be! I can't...I can't fall apart. I can't!" He yelled out the last part, chest heaving from the exertion of the outburst. With Sam and Tucker staring at him, all that he'd said finally hit him. But, with his eyes watering, hand shaking, one more dark, painful truth was whispered. "If I do, I'll never be whole again."

That last statement, the last great fear, stole the breath from Fenton's lungs. He could hardly bear to think it, let alone say it. He was terrified. Terrified that he'd be stuck like this forever. Alway broken, never whole. Physically- his very soul split in half, half a person. And almost worse, emotionally, always afraid. Of people's opinions of him; of his past- the portal and his death; Of his future- the unknown and change; Of being different, a freak; Of his own inhumanity; Of being a ghost.

His heart ached, an almost physical pain that had been there for weeks. A gaping wound the portal had cut into his very soul. He'd tried to bandage it with lies (He was just sick, he wasn't really a ghost, he hadn't really died) and heal it with the ghost catcher. But the device just ripped off the sloppily applied gaze and exposed the festering gash. The ghost catcher just showed him the truth and he thought he'd accepted that he'd died, that he was a ghost. He thought he'd accepted Phantom. He'd finally treated the wound properly, instead of ignoring it; he'd gotten the stitches and applied the antibiotic. He should be healing. He thought he was healing but why did it still hurt?!

As this flowed indistinctly through Fenton's head in a matter of seconds. His friends remained frozen, staring at him in shock while the boy looked down. Part of him was mortified that he'd actually said what he just did. But part of him was relieved to have it off his chest. The silence was making him tense. What did Sam and Tucker think about this? Do they think he's being ridiculous or needy or-

Sam stepped forward and suddenly her arms were around him, cutting off the thought. "Danny." She muttered into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this is happening to you."

Tucker came from the side, wrapping one arm around both of his friends. "We've got you. We've got you, man."

"Sam. Tucker." A tear fell from Fenton's eye.

"You're going to be okay, Danny. You're going to be okay." Sam said insistently.

Still in her arms, Fenton shook his head. "No. I'm...I'm not."

"We'll figure this out Danny. We will." Tucker said. "You'll pull yourself together and put all of this behind you before you know it."

The human Danny shook his head again. "No."

This time Sam stepped back. "Yes, you will. You want to get better. You want to heal." She smiled at him. "And I know you will."

"And we'll be right here, by your side to help you, no matter how long it takes." Tucker added with determination in his voice.

Fenton looked between the two hopefully. "You promise?"

"Of course." Sam nodded. "I don't care if you're a ghost or there's two of you. No matter what, we've got your back."

Familiarity tickled his mind. "You guys keep saying that, don't you?"

"Cause we mean it. We're sticking with you no matter what." Tucker said. "You can trust us."

"And you don't have to act like you're okay for us." Sam's eyes rounded compassionately.

Fenton looked down, suddenly feeling guilty. "I know."

"I don't think that you do." The statement wasn't said unkindly but the human Danny tensed all the same. Sam's hand moved to squeeze his forearm. "Danny, look at me." At the soft plea, Fenton turned his gaze onto Sam's lavender eyes. "You don't have to act like you're okay for us. Or even for your parents."

"But-" The boy started wanting to argue.

"No." Sam held up a finger. "After all of the crap you've been through, no one in their right mind should expect you to be fine. And that's okay." Fenton's frown deepened but Sam continued. "You're allowed to struggle. You're allowed to have a hard time with this."

"But….I should be getting better." The human Danny muttered.

"You are." Sam insisted. "And even if you weren't, we'd still be here for you."

Fenton gave her a somewhat skeptical look before Tucker added. "Remember before the ghost catcher? You told us your ghost powers were a disease. You don't think that anymore, do you?"

The reminder that he'd even thought that horribly of his ghost half stung. The boy frowned, shaking his head. "No, I don't."

"See." Sam gave him a kind smile. "You've already come so far."

Her statement was so certain and sure, it gave the boy pause. He wrinkled his brow in thought, realization slowly dawning. He used to hate his ghostliness. The green eyed reflection in the mirror hadn't been him because he wasn't a monster and he feared becoming one if he gave into his ghost half. He used to think that. Used to, as in past tense. Used to, as in he didn't think that anymore. He'd seen and talked to the part of himself that was a ghost and now knew that he wasn't a monster and wouldn't turn into one because he was a ghost. He'd looked at Phantom, at those green eyes. Though they didn't feel as natural as his blue eyes, those were still HIS eyes and he didn't hate those eyes anymore. Yes, Fenton was still scared of being a ghost- because that was new and unknown. But he didn't hate Phantom. He couldn't, he wouldn't, never again.

"You're right." Fenton finally said, a slight smile gracing his face. "You're right. I've already made a lot of progress."

"Yeah, you have." Tucker grinned. "You should be proud of yourself."

"But I still have a ways to go." Fenton frowned thoughtfully, looking at his two friends. They'd asked at the beginning if everything was okay between him and Phantom. Truthfully things weren't. And they weren't going to get better on their own. The boy ran a hand through his hair. "I need to talk to Phantom."

It was ridiculous but the idea made him nervous for reasons he couldn't seem to identify. He knew Phantom wanted to talk and would listen. He was unlikely to say anything to surprise the ghost anyway, as they were the same person. But...maybe talking about their issues would make them real.

His stomach flopped with nervousness but before he could start to spiral, Sam half-smiled at him. "I think that sounds like a good idea."

"Yeah man. We...uhh…..heard some of that argument and I was gonna try and suggest you talk to him…." Tucker rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Fenton didn't have the heart to be embarrassed or offended that they'd heard any of the supremely personal confrontation. So he shrugged. "Well, I'm gonna talk to myself without your prompting so ha!"

At the attempted light-hearted response, Tucker relaxed. He smiled and gave a short relieved laugh."Dude, you take arguing with yourself to a whole new level."

Sam snorted. "You know how it is. Sometimes you just have to yell at yourself because you're being stubborn."

Fenton blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess that was pretty much exactly what just happened, wasn't it?"

At the embarrassed reaction, Sam and Tucker's laughter quieted. The technogeek patted him on the back. "It's all good. We get it."

"Yeah." Sam added. Then she fixed serious eyes on him. "Speaking of being stubborn, no more pretending you're okay for us, right Danny?"

Fenton blushed. "I...Uhhh. Yeah." The human Danny sighed. "I can do that. Yeah." His voice sounded sure and confident the longer he spoke. "I can do that."

Fenton meant what he said. He would try to be honest with his friends who had time and time again shown they were willing to stand by him through anything. Through all the weirdness and drama, they didn't freak out (too much). They weren't afraid of this ghostliness but accepted and embraced it... him, Phantom. In their eyes, Phantom was as much Danny as Fenton was. And they continued showing that they weren't afraid of their (his and Phantom's) issues.

Sam accepted the statement with a nod. Then Tucker smiled, patting him on the back. "Let's head back to your house."

"Yeah. Let's go." Fenton said, a smile growing on his face as he appreciated his friends' support.

* * *

As Phantom invisibly phased through the mall's roof, he felt like pulling his hair out. He might have too, if he wasn't so focused on flying back to Fentonworks as fast as he could. He wanted to flop onto his bed and scream his frustration into his pillow right now. Not three minutes later, the ghost phased through the window and into his bedroom. He flickered back into visibility and let out a low growl.

"Why are you so...urggh!" Landing on the floor, Phantom stomped towards the bed. "Stupid-" Angrily, the boy swung his leg forward and kicked the post of his bed. He let out a yelp of pain, cutting off the rant. "Owww! Dammit!"

"Danny!?" Jazz's voice yelled through the door right as it swung open. Her eyes widened in alarmed concern. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine." The ghost boy huffed.

"Are you sure?" Jazz raised a brow.

"Yes." Phantom gritted his teeth. "My foot's fine. I was mostly just startled."

The girl looked at him worriedly. After closing the door, she stepped farther into the room and crossed her arms. "What happened?"

"I just kicked my desk. I'm fine." He answered trying to sound casual.

"Not that." Jazz looked at him critically. "Something happened. I can see it all over your face."

"Jazz. Stop-" He started.

But his sister held up her hand. "This morning I said I wasn't dropping whatever's happening between you and the other Danny. And I'm not." She pointed, narrowing her eyes. "You're home alone, without him or your friends and I can tell you're upset. What happened?"

The boy crossed his arms and glared. Part of him wanted to clam up and not talk to her. He wanted to be left to skulk in peace. But he was so angry and frustrated and Jazz was a good listener.

He started pacing. "Sam dressed me up like this" he motioned up and down his outfit. "So we could go to the mall without me getting gawked at. Except Wes Weston's now convinced I'm my own brother. So there's definitely gonna be a rumor about Danny Fenton having a secret twin." Ghost Danny ran a hand through his hair. "And then we went to Hot Topic and Tucker made a….not so smart joke. Like really bad. Like….He shouldn't have joked about that." The ghost mumbled and then shook his head, his volume increasing again. "And Fenton blew up on him! In the middle of the store! So I chewed him out and…. How is he so frustrating?!" Phantom stopped, putting his arms up.

Jazz's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Who? Tucker? Wes?"

"Fenton!" The ghost exclaimed and started pacing again. "He wouldn't even look at me today! And he won't talk to me." He gripped his hair with his hands. "I can't just….I can't figure out what's going on in his head!"

His sister blinked at him, bewilderedly. "You can't figure out what he's thinking? Fenton? The other Danny? Your literal other half? But you...you two are….?"

"I know!" Phantom's voice raised. "I know! But he's driving me nuts!" He stopped then, looking at Jazz. "I'm starting to get why you sometimes want to wring my neck."

Jazz shook her head, the visible confusion on her face mounting. "I...I'm sorry Danny but…. I don't understand what's going on like...at all."

His sister's blatant confusion was making him feel so much worse. Biting his lip, the ghost boy pulled at his hair. "I don't either. It's just…..after we told Mom and Dad, Fenton and I, we were..harmonizing. We were both worried but...we were on the same page. Same thoughts, emotions. We moved together….like we were actually two parts of a whole." He stopped pulling and moved his hands to stare at them. "But now things are awkward and he won't look at me or talk to me and….I keep getting these emotions from him and they just...don't make sense."

Jazz frowned. "What do you mean?"

The boy swallowed, snapping his mouth shut.

His sister raised a brow pushing him to talk. "Danny."

"Guilty." The ghost boy closed his eyes and bit his lip. "He….I...We feel guilty. And not just about Mom and Dad." He wrapped his arms around his middle. "It's like….we tried to fuse on Sunday night. And...and I thought it would work. Mom and Dad would see and I could go back to being just Danny. We'd be whole. But...it didn't work. And now there's this wall between us. I don't know why he's acting like this. And there's this guilt and...fear. And sometimes it's mine or it's his….or…." He stopped trailing off.

Silence fell for a long moment before Jazz walked forward. Her arms wrapped around him. "Oh, little brother."

"What…" He sniffled. When had his eyes started tearing up? "What am I supposed to do, Jazz?"

After a minute, Jazz stepped back and studied him thoughtfully. She took a deep breath and finally addressed him. "I think you know what you need to do."

Phantom frowned at her. "That's not all the helpful Jazz. I can't even figure out what Fenton is thinking."

"But you do know." She said kindly. The ghost opened his mouth to argue but his sister cut in, holding up a finger. "Let me finish." She shook her head. "Fenton is you and you're him. You're the same person." He sighed, her facial expression softening. "You know your own mind, Danny. Even if you're ignoring or suppressing it. Even if it's hard to swallow."

The ghost boy looked at her for a long moment, taking in her words. He rubbed his forehead. "But...this is so confusing. I mean, I got turned into a ghost. And split in half."

The girl stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I know it is. I know." She gave a gentle squeeze. "But I know you. And you can figure this out."

Ghost Danny sighed but didn't say anything. At some point, his frustration and anger at Fenton had leaked out of him. Now he was just tired. Sadness pricked his core. He knew Jazz was right. He knew what he, both of him, were feeling. Frustrated, anxious, afraid, guilty. He knew why there was this tension between him and his other self. He'd felt it in bursts since…..

"The failed merge." He finally said, eyes fixed on the floor.

He remembered the bursts of guilt from his other self. The repeated apologies as he cried about how Fenton pushed him away. Earlier…. 'Why didn't I just tell them about being half ghost before? Why did I even split us? None of this would have happened if I hadn't done that.' 'The portal and ghost catcher were my fault.'

"Fenton thinks it's his fault." Phantom whispered the words before his mouth snapped shut. His eyes widened as he looked at Jazz. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt embarrassed to say that in front of Jazz. It felt so personal, so private. He blushed. "I...we...mmmm." His mouth shut again.

Jazz's expression fell. She looked slightly disappointed. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

The boy shook his head. "It's just...I thought….I thought we were getting past all this." He put a hand on his head. "But Fenton's been trying to hide this from me. What the heck does that say about my mental health?"

Jazz tilted her head and asked. "Are you sure he's been trying to hide it? Or have you collectively been ignoring the issue?"

The ghost boy frowned, considering the question. "Maybe….I don't know." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's all so confusing. But maybe….maybe it's a bit of both?"

As much as he hated to admit it, it made sense. He'd felt Fenton blocking him and avoiding any opportunity to talk about what was happening. But Phantom...he hadn't reached out to talk either. He'd gotten glimpses of what Fenton was feeling but he hadn't listened when his instincts suggested what was wrong. Maybe on some level, he- both of him- didn't want to deal with what he was feeling.

A thoughtful look crossed Jazz's concerned face. The ghost boy could almost see the wheels turning in her head. After a moment, she took his arm again. Phantom allowed himself to be led to sit on the bed by his sister.

"Do you want to hear what I think?" Jazz asked kindly. The boy nodded and she continued. "I think you don't need to be afraid of dealing with what's happening to you."

"I'm not…" The boy started before trailing off. He looked down. He couldn't say that. It wouldn't be true.

His sister fixed understanding eyes on him. "You're dealing with something incredibly hard. Something that is vastly different than anything you or anyone else has faced before. And you're struggling. Of course you are. You're angry and afraid and guilty. And you're allowed to feel like that. But… you don't have to wallow in it."

At the last sentence, the ghost boy looked up. "I know. Believe me Jazz. I know. I am so tired of feeling like this." He put his hand on his head. "I just want to be happy again."

Jazz gently took his hand. "You will be. This will pass."

Phantom fixed a critical eye on her at the platitide. "Really?"

"I mean it. You'll get through this. You'll make peace with what you've been through. You'll be able to merge and put all this behind you."

The ghost boy huffed. "That doesn't really help me right now."

"I know, just…" The girl sighed. "Hang on to that hope, okay? You will get better. You'll heal but it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and effort. So" Her tone sharpened somewhat, seriously. "You need to actually talk to Fenton. The internal conflict you're feeling won't get better if you don't acknowledge it and at least try to deal with it."

"Internal conflict?" Phantom raised a brow.

Jazz tapped her chin, her expression shifting into something slightly analytical. "You and Fenton are two parts of the same person so any conflict between you is by nature an internal one." She frowned. "You can't treat this as an argument between you and someone else. Because it's not. This is discord inside yourself that's being manifest in a different way because you're split into two different halves. But the issue is still with yourself."

"Okay?" The boy blinked, slightly startled. "Uhhh Jazz... please don't go psychologist mode on me right now."

The girl's analytical expression disappeared, shame coloring her face briefly. "Oh. I'm sorry, Danny."

The boy shook his head. "It's fine. I'm just kinda shocked at how much you read into everything. But…" He blushed. "You have a point. If I want to deal with this, I have to talk to Fenton." Phantom wrinkled his nose slightly. "But with how difficult he was being…."

Jazz put an arm around him. "I know dealing with this stuff is incredibly hard. But it's necessary. There isn't a timeline for you to get over it. It will take time, maybe a lot of time. But this isn't a sprint. It's a marathon. The goal isn't to finish the race the fastest. The goal is to get to the finish line. Just...be kind and patient with yourself."

"You know, that means something entirely different if there's two of me."

"That's why I said it like that." The girl said kindly. "All of you- both Fenton and Phantom- deserve patience and kindness to get through this."

Phantom titled his head, thoughtfully, as he considered all that his sister had said. She did have a point. Things would get better. He had to keep believing they would. That was something he could do with his friends and family's help. And it would take time for things to get better. It would take effort. Talking to Fenton and acknowledging the storm of emotions they'd been weathering was the first step. That was something they could find the strength to do. And the courage. Letting everything come to light would be painful and likely frustrating. But that's why he needed to be kind and patient, with both of him.

"Okay. Yeah." The ghost boy finally spoke. "I see what you're saying, I think. And I'll talk to Fenton tonight."

Jazz squeezed him in a side hug. "And you can talk to me as well, about anything, okay? I want to help you through this, little brother."

"I know." The boy wrapped an arm around her. "Thank you for talking some sense into me."

"No problem. It is my job as the big sister." She half-smiled.

Phantom rolled his eyes, preparing a quippy reply as the sound of the door slamming sounded below. His lighter expression darkened again.

Jazz stood up. "It sounds like your friends and the other Danny are back." She frowned, taking in his expression. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "I just...need to think for a bit before I see Fenton." His stomach flopped in sudden nervousness at the thought of the impending difficult, private conversation. Then he noticed Jazz's worried expression. "I'm okay, Jazz. I just need a moment to compose by thoughts. I'll be down stairs before too long."

"Alright." She sighed. With another concerned glance, she exited the room, leaving Phantom to think alone.


	22. Chapter 22

The sun was just setting as Sam, Tucker, and Fenton walked into Fentonworks. He'd been comfortable, confident even at the prospect of talking to Phantom as the group left the mall. But now...his stomach churned, anxiousness returning. It was ridiculous, being nervous about talking to his other half. But….he needed to do it, even if it was hard.

Tucker looked side to side. "You said the other you was heading back. Where is he?"

"He's upstairs." Jazz's voice came from the top of the stairs as she descended. "He said he'd be down in a minute."

"Oh." Fenton looked down, suddenly feeling disappointed. It appeared his ghost did head home like he said. But...was this more avoidance? Was Phantom doing the same thing Fenton had done to his ghostly counterpart, but right back? If he was, it stung. No wonder Phantom had been angry at him.

Jazz stopped beside the human version of her brother. She pinned him with a concerned expression. "He told me what happened."

"He did?" Fenton blushed.

"Yes." Jazz raised an eyebrow. "He said that….." She trailed off for a moment. "Actually, he should tell you. You two need to talk to each other."

The human Danny sighed, crossing his arms. "I know. I know, I already promised Sam I would. I don't need you getting on my case too."

Jazz wrapped one arm around her brother. "I'm just trying to look out for you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." The boy shrugged. "I know that."

Seemingly satisfied, Jazz leaned towards him in a side hug before pulling away. There was silence for a moment before a familiar figure floated down the stairs. The ghost was silent with a thoughtful, slightly troubled expression. Fenton swallowed, his nervous questions returning to the forefront of his mind. Was Phantom still angry with him? What exactly had he and Jazz talked about? And their impending conversation….would the ghost even be willing to listen?

"Sam. Tucker. Hey." Phantom's causal tone surprised his human counterpart as he addressed their friends with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about running out on you guys."

"It's all good dude." Tucker smiled apologetically. "Sorry for what I said earlier."

"It's okay, Tuck." The ghost boy said sincerely. "I'm not mad about it."

"You're not?" The technogeek asked hopefully.

"Yeah. It's all good." Phantom nodded.

At the reassurance, Fenton could see Tucker relax. And despite his own nervousness, he relaxed as well. Phantom wasn't angry at their friends at least. Then again, Fenton hadn't thought he would be. But….the ghost still hadn't addressed him.

After a moment, the ghost turned to face his human. He smiled slightly. "Hey Danny."

Well….scratch that previous thought. Fenton's heart skipped a beat. He...Phantom didn't sound angry. There was no anger projecting from him either. That made the human feel marginally better so he offered a half smile. "Hey yourself."

Tucker snorted at the joke, this time an intentional one. "Nice one."

Sam gave an approving smile as well. "So you're talking to each other now?"

Fenton suddenly felt sheepish. He raised one hand to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah."

Another voice...or really his own echoing voice….spoke with him and the human Danny met the gaze of his counterpart who was also rubbing his neck and wearing an identical sheepish expression.

"That's good." Tucker said, putting a hand on the human version of his friend's shoulder. "And I'm sure things will get better once you two talk about stuff."

"You guys promise you will talk about everything, right?" Sam raised a brow.

"Yes. We will." Both boys nodded, speaking confidently in unison again.

Or.. Fenton tried to sound confident at least, even if he didn't feel it. He totally intended to talk to Phantom but...where to even start? There was so much to bare, things that were hard enough to think about, let alone say out loud. But he needed to do it, even if the thought made him anxious.

"Okay, then. I need to head home." Tucker said, briefly cutting through his friend's nervousness. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I need to leave, too." Sam sighed. Then she looked at both Dannys, eyes wide with concern. "Good luck. I hope everything goes well."

"Thanks Sam." Phantom replied with a nod.

"Yeah. I'll see you guys at school." Fenton said, giving his friends a wave as both walked through the door before Jazz closed it.

Jazz turned back around to face both halves of her brother. There was another beat of awkward silence as she studied both thoughtfully.

The two Dannys glanced at each other, dual nervousness rising. Again Fenton wondered what she and Phantom talked about...and what she was thinking now. "Uh….maybe we should…." The human started, biting his lip.

"Go to our room?" Phantom continued with a shrug.

"Yeah…" Fenton drawled, walking towards the stairs.

Phantom floated after him with Jazz coming last. The human Danny kept his eyes forward, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder. Not because he couldn't look at Phantom, not because of his guilt but….Actually, well….his guilt was still flaring- about the failed merge, about accepting his ghost half. But he needed to address those feelings, to deal with them even though the thought scared him.

The trio arrived at the door to Danny's room. Jazz paused, frowning worriedly at the pair. "Are both of you going to be okay?"

"Yeah." Both Dannys muttered, looking down.

"Are you sure? I can mediate or-"

"No, Jazz." Phantom cut off their sister, shaking his head. "I really appreciate you helping me realize some things but…" He bit his lip. "This is private. I…" Neon green eyes meet icy blue. And this time, there was no avoidance, no anger, but...understanding? The ghost's eyes turned down to Fenton's twitching hands. Then the human gasped, as he allowed his other half to take his hand. Human and ghostly hands clasped together, Phantom turned back to Jazz. "We need to do this ourselves."

Fenton gaped for a moment at the feeling coming from his counterpart. A sharp sting of anxiety. A prick of pain. But...underlying determination, patience, a desire of peace. And paramount- a longing for unity. Many emotions and ideas that the human was struggling to process.

But before he could get too far, Jazz sighed. "Alright. I'll see you in the morning." Her eyes softened. "I love you, little brother."

"Love you too." Phantom smiled at her slightly while Fenton remained frozen.

With another concerned glance, Jazz opened the door to her bedroom and walked inside, leaving Fenton and Phantom alone in the hallway.

"Come on." Phantom said quietly.

Fenton allowed his ghost to turn both of them intangible and pull him into their room. A moment later, Phantom gently let go of his hand. The two stood (floated) facing each other, with Fenton biting his lip and Phantom running his fingers through his hair.

"I...uhhh….after talking to Jazz, I thought I knew what to talk about but…." The ghost's shoulders feel. "I don't even know where to start."

"I don't either." Fenton frowned.

The ghost glanced around the room. "Do you want to...sit down on the bed to talk? Or….the chair? Or… I can float?" Fenton's eyes feel on the empty space below his other half's feet. His brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"Ya know, I don't really mind floating. I actually kinda like it, you know. It's...it's cool. Well, at least I think it's cool, right?" Of course it was cool. Well...before the ghost catcher, Fenton hadn't thought it was cool but rather terrifying. Another scary, uncontrollable symptom.

"I know it's kinda weird and it's a ghost thing but….ya know, floating is cool and flying's even better." The human tilting his head. Flying…. An idea started tickling his mind.

"I really love flying. It's definitely my favorite power." But was it Fenton's favorite power? The human remembered flying through Phantom's eyes in his dreams. It felt so different than floating before the ghost catcher had. Before he'd been terrified of losing control, that he'd suddenly start floating and get stuck on the ceiling or worse….just float into the clouds and never come down. But these dreams (they weren't really dreams though, were they?) were freeing and exhilarating. But...Fenton had never actually flown while truly awake.

"and….and uhh….I'm rambling, aren't I….?" Phantom trailed off.

Fenton blinked at his other self for a moment. He whispered, voice wavering. "I wanna go flying."

"What?" Phantom's eyes widened, startled at the sudden request.

The human swallowed and forced confidence into his voice. "I wanna go flying."

"You...want to go flying?" Phantom raised a brow and Fenton nodded. "Like right now? Like as we are right now?"

"Yes." The human nodded again.

Flying was so natural for his other self. The ghost looked perpetually comfortable in the air. And...the idea scared Fenton out of his mind. Humans weren't meant to fly of their own power. But...they weren't completely human anymore. Even now, even as just Fenton, he was part ghost. And Fenton never wanted to be afraid of that part of himself again. He needed to be comfortable being a ghost, to embrace it.

Phantom looked at him skeptically. "In the lab you said _after_ we merged, we'd try flying. But we're...we're still split."

"I know." Fenton crossed his arms. "I still want to do it."

The ghost gapped. "But...you're afraid of heights."

His human counterpart stepped forward. "I'm tired of being afraid."

And that summed it up, didn't it? He was tired of being afraid and heights were just the tiniest portion of things he was scared of. Fenton squared his shoulders. He needed to stop just saying he was tired of being scared and face his fears.

The ghost studied him for a moment, frowning before sighing. "I'll have to carry you. You know that right?"

"Yeah." Fenton placed a hand on Phantom's arm. "But I trust you." He did. He needed to trust Phantom, to trust himself, even if it was hard to. "Or….I'm really trying to." And what better way to show that he was trying to trust his ghost half than through actions?

For several moments, there was a silent stand-off. Confusion, worry, even warriness touched Fenton's mind through his connection to his other half. At the same time, the human tried to project trust, comfort, and sincerity despite his flopping stomach. Yes, he was still really nervous. Yes, flying still scared him alot but he was going to act despite that fear, or maybe because of it. If Phantom would let him.

The ghost's expression softened, a slight smile creeping onto his face. "Okay. We can go flying." Clearly, whatever he felt from Fenton convinced him.

"Really?" The human asked hopefully.

"Yes." Phantom nodded. He then pursed his lips thoughtfully. "How should I carry you?"

Fenton shrugged. "What did you do last time?"

"Bridal style." He answered casually.

The mental image made Fenton blush. "Bridal style?"

His other self rolled his eyes. "You were asleep. It was the best way to do it, since you couldn't hold on to me."

"Alright." Fenton's embarrassment evaporated. "How about we do it piggy back?"

Phantom tilted his head back and forth in consideration. "Sure." Putting his feet on the floor, he turned around. "Hop on."

Fenton hesitated for a moment, tentatively putting his weight on Phantom. The ghost glanced back. "I promise I can carry you. You're not that heavy and...I think my weightlessness transfers if we're touching anyway."

At the reassurance, Fenton wrapped his arms around his ghost's neck and then raised his legs to wrap around Phantom's waist. The ghost secured his arms around the human's legs. A moment later, the pair rose off the floor. Fenton's muscles tensed, preparing to fight against gravity to stay on the ghost's back but a cool, weightless feeling spread through him, like he was floating underwater. So Phantom's natural weightlessness did transfer. Fenton remembered this feeling from before the ghost catcher, when he would float unintentionally. It had been terrifying before but now….Fenton was still scared but there was something almost comforting about feeling the effects of his powers again after so long.

"Are you ready?" Ghost Danny asked.

Human Danny swallowed. "Yeah. Let's go."

Phasing through the window, the pair took off into the sky.

* * *

Phantom was starting to wonder if taking Fenton flying was a good idea. It started out decently. As he ascended, with deliberate slowness, his human half clung securely to him. But his breathing was calm and even. And though he was silent and the ghost could feel his counterpart's underlying fear, he also felt Fenton's determination and trust. Trust, the feeling screamed out to him, giving the ghost confidence. Fenton trusted him enough to fly with him, despite his fear.

Phantom kept going, thinking this little escapade would actually be okay….until Fenton gave a frightened squeak and buried his head in his other self's shoulder.

Phantom hovered to a stop. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." The human squeaked. "I'm fine. I just...just, I looked down. Shouldn't have looked down. Yeah, yeah, don't do that again. Don't look down."

Phantom bit his lip, not liking how anxious his other half sounded. "We don't have to do this right now."

"No." The human forced out the words despite his wavering voice. "I want to do this."

"Are you-" The ghost started.

"Yes, I'm sure." Fenton cut in sharply, then his voice quieted. "Keep going. Please."

Without another word, the ghost continued flying upwards and away from their house. His core pricked with nervousness, a large portion of that coming from the very tense human on his back. With how tightly Fenton had his arms around the ghost's neck, Phantom was actually glad he didn't need to breathe. Though the rate at which his other half was breathing was becoming concerning; if they kept this up, Fenton would be hyperventilating soon.

The ghost stopped again. To his great concern, he realized he could feel Fenton's heart thudding against his back. Yep, yeah. They needed to land now. This was such a bad idea, definitely a bad idea.

"You stopped? Why'd you stop?" Fenton rambled, his loud voice right next to the ghost's ear.

Phantom winced but didn't comment on the volume. "I'm going to find a place for us to land."

"Land? You don't-" Fenton started arguing.

"I can feel how terrified you are. We need to stop."

"I'm not-" The human cut himself off but Phantom knew what he was going to argue- that he wasn't terrified. Except the poor boy was shaking like a leaf. Fenton swallowed. "Alright, alright. Let's….let's go down then."

The ghost willed himself to descend but they hadn't gone five feet lower when Fenton screamed.

"Fenton!" Phantom yelled concerned.

"Damnit!" Fenton cursed. "I looked down again. Can't do that. Can't look down. Stupid! Stupid Fenton." The boy was rambling aimlessly, breathing rate increasing.

"Fenton!" The ghost tried to get his attention.

"This was...this was a bad idea. I...I can't do this. I can't." He shook his head. "No. I need to do this. I have to."

"No you-" Phantom argued.

"How...how am I supposed to accept my ghost half if I can't even fly without freaking out?!" Fenton yelled.

The previous plea, that they didn't have to do this, died in Phantom's throat. That's what this was about. Of course it was. Fenton...Fenton was trying to prove that he accepted Phantom, his ghost self, with this misguided display of courage. Phantom shook his head, complex emotions swirling in his core. He didn't know whether to be touched or disappointed. His other half was trying, he was trying so hard. How had he been mad at Fenton earlier? But….this was stupidly courageous.

"You don't have to prove yourself to me." Phantom said quietly.

The ghost wasn't sure Fenton heard him. There was no response from the trembling human, except hyperventilating….Hyperventilating! A spike of panic surged through the ghost's core as he finally noticed Fenton's loosening grip around him.

"Fenton! Listen to me!" The ghost pleaded with wide eyes. The human's legs slid lower. "Fenton!"

"I'm...I'm going to fall!" Fenton cried, burying his head in Phantom's shoulder again.

"No you're not!" Phantom tightened his grip on the legs.

"I'm gonna fall. I'm gonna to die..again." The human choked out.

"No you're not!" Phantom yelled. He felt his other self wince behind him, the tear that fell onto his shoulder. Despite the fear pouring into him, the ghost clamped down on the panic. "I'm not gonna let you fall. I've got you." His voice was forcibly calm.

"No. No." Fenton shook his head.

"Yes. I've got you. You won't fall. I've got you Danny." Phantom projected as much confidence into his words as he could muster. "You can trust me. I won't let anything happen to us, okay?"

His other self stayed quietly shaking, terror pouring off of him. It flowed into the ghost through the now wide open connection between the pieces of their mind. But Phantom would not be overwhelmed. He would not be drowned by his own fear, not when his own life was at stake. And….maybe right now being split was a good thing. With that gap between his ghost and human self, Phantom could be steadfast and reliable, someone Fenton could trust. He pushed back with his own emotions. Calm, comfort, trust. It'll be okay, I promise but without words. He projected all of it, all of the patience, kindness, and fondness he could muster for his stupidly courageous other self.

Slowly, so slowly, Fenton's breathing calmed. His racing heart slowed and his trembling stopped. The wave of terror resided. It didn't vanish but it shrunk down to a more manageable fear. A trickle of gratitude brushed Phantom's core. "Thank you." His human self then muttered disappointedly. "I'm...I'm sorry I freaked out."

"It's okay. You're allowed to freak out." Phantom said kindly, before looking down. "And it's okay that you're not ready."

Fenton said nothing but Phantom imagined him frowning sadly.

After a moment, the ghost ventured. "I'm going to go ahead and land."

He started lowering them slowly before Fenton quietly said. "Wait." Phantom paused. "I...I'm going to open my eyes."

The ghost frowned, concerned. "You don't have to."

"I know but…. I can do it. I'm calm now. And I won't look down." A hint of humor entered his voice. Then the human sighed. "Alright, I'm doing it." He tensed for a moment, another spike of fear going through both Dannys before Fenton took a deliberate deep breath.

Neither said anything for a while, Phantom bracing for another anxiety attack. Then Fenton let out a small gasp.

"What is it?" Phantom asked, worriedly.

Instead of trembling like the ghost expected, the human's awe-filled voice rang out above his head. "It's...it's so beautiful."

Phantom looked up, taking in the dark star-filled sky above them. If he had to breathe, his breath might have hitched in his throat as well. He'd seen this sight from several hundred feet in the air a few times now but it was still magnificent.

"This is so much clearer than when I dream it through your eyes." The human mussed softly. "I can feel the wind on my face and...it does kinda feel like floating in a pool." Fenton lowered his head so his chin was resting on Phantom's head. "Thank you for agreeing to do this."

A smile crept onto the ghost's face as the pair watched the sky in companionable silence. He felt Fenton's waning warriness and fear. His growing awe at the sight. The calm and peace that came from trusting his ghost half. Fenton trusted him, despite the initial fear. It was then Phantom felt a tickle of fondness from Fenton and a smile firmly plastered itself on his face. He hadn't felt fondness like that, this at peace with his other self since before they told Mom and Dad. It was so nice, neither wanted the moment to end.

But eventually it did. Fenton shifted slightly. "We should go ahead and land. We do have stuff to talk about."

"Yeah. We do." Phantom sighed before looking down. "Huh, we're right over the park." He glanced back up. "You wanna talk there?"

There was a new spike of nervousness from the human before clear agreement. "Sure."

With a nod, Ghost Danny started descending, a little faster than he meant to. A strangled cry escaped Fenton's throat and his grip tightened slightly. Phantom mentally cursed himself; he'd just managed to calm his other half, just to mess it up. He opened his mouth, apologies ready to pour out. Instead a startled yelp came out as the ghost touched down. Suddenly gravity reengaged. Failing to brace for the additional weight he was carrying (how did he and Fenton together, somehow weigh more than the whole Danny? Or...was he only used to carrying his weight and flying as a ghost?), Phantom fell over.

The ghost landed on his stomach, getting a mouthful of grass. "Umph!"

"Phantom!" His other half yelped, falling on top of him.

With uncoordinated limbs, the human rolled off of him. The ghost groaned slightly as he laid there with his face in the grass. That was a very undignified landing. At least the grass was soft. Frowning, Phantom turned to look at Fenton. The human was staring up at the sky, one hand over his heart. His chest moved up and down quickly but slowed as the shock leaked out of him. Then...he pinched his eyes shut and a mirthful sound burst from his lips. Laughter.

Phantom's eyes popped. His human was...laughing. He was laughing at what just happened. A spike of fear entered his core. Did he hit his head?

"Are you okay?" The ghost suddenly spit out the words.

Laughter still shaking his shoulders, the human noticed his gaze and turned his head. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Phantom furrowed his brows as he surveyed the other figure for injuries. No bruises or scraps were visible. Plus, if Fenton had been actually hurt, wouldn't the injury have transferred to his ghost as well? He shook his head. "Then why are you…?"

Fenton rolled onto his side and pushed himself into a sitting position. "It's just….how the heck in this our life?" He spread his arms. "I'm talking to myself in the middle of the park. And...and" He grinned. "We just went flying. I mean I don't think I've ever been that scared in my life but…" His voice filled with awe. "That was amazing."

The ghost's jaw dropped. That….he was not expecting that reaction. Phantom pushed himself up with his arms and sat down. "Really?"

His counterpart shook his head vigorously. "We...we should have tried that earlier. It was so...so awesome." He sighed. "I loved it."

Phantom's eyes widened in concern. "But...you were terrified. I could feel it."

"Yeah." Fenton shrugged. Then his eyes widened with fondness. "But you talked me down."

The words were said softly, tenderly, and full of such gratitude. It pricked something in Phantom's core and his expression softened. "Of course I did. I...I don't want you to be scared." He bit his lip. "But still...that was stupidly courageous. And...you didn't have to do that."

The human's expression fell. "Yes, I did." He said suddenly sober.

"No you-" Phantom argued.

But he was cut off by his other self's raised hand. "Let me finish. I...I'm so tired of being scared. Of everything. Of the accident, the portal, dying. What Mom and Dad think or our classmates or friends. Our future. Of being different. Of changing. Of….you." Phantom paled; his heart would have skipped a beat if it was currently inside his chest. At the same time, Fenton looked down, shame coloring his face. "It's...it's not the same kind of fear as before. It's not like 'ah there's a scary ghost'" He waved his hands as if miming fearful shock. "I know..I know being a ghost it's not...this..this foreign thing. It's...you're a part of me. And I don't… I don't want to stamp you out or get rid of you. I can't...I don't want to ignore or suppress you either but…." rubbing the back of his neck, he finally looked up at his ghost. "I'm still scared. I'm still scared of being Danny Phantom." His voice quieted into a whisper. "And...I think...no, I know the merge failed because of me. Because I'm a coward who's still scared of being who I'm supposed to be. That's why I've been distant. I haven't wanted to admit that." He clenched his fist. "And I thought trying to fly with you would prove that I wasn't a coward, that I was trying to embrace what I am now but...you felt what happened."

The human looked down, shame and guilt washing through him. And Phantom felt it. Of course he did. Earlier, before talking to Jazz, he might have been surprised but now...he knew his own mind. He knew and understood his own fears, his own guilt. And he knew that they- he and Fenton together- needed to address those feelings.

Phantom shuffled forwards until he was sitting right in front of Fenton, their crossed knees touching. "You don't have to prove anything to me."

Fenton looked up. "Well...I needed to prove it to myself."

"We're the same person." Phantom titled his head. "So proving something to yourself is proving it to me and I'm saying you don't have to."

"But-" Fenton started.

The ghost reached forward and took his human's hand. "We've already made progress and… you're still trying. I can see and feel that you are. You don't need to prove that you're not scared and force yourself to do more. You just need to try." He looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner."

Fenton shook his head. "I know. I know that we've already come a long way but….." He drew his knees to his chest. "We're still not where we're supposed to be but we should be there by now. The merging still failed. And it was because of me."

Phantom's core felt like it would shatter, partly from feeling his other half's pain and partly because...that pain was doubly self inflicted. "I'm sorry." The ghost whispered looking down. "I'm sorry. Before...before we agreed to talk to Mom and Dad...I said that you were the one who threw me away."

Fenton looked up. "I was...I did." He swallowed. "I did throw you away."

"No." Phantom shook his head. "I...I shouldn't have blamed you. We're the same person so if there's any blame, any guilt, it needs to be equal, shared. That...the decision to split was both of ours. But anyway…." he met Fenton's eyes, voice becoming determined. "It's natural...it's human to be afraid of something that you don't understand."

Fenton tilted his head, confusion creeping onto his face. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying….you..I..we don't need to be guilty about being afraid of this." He waved up and down his body. "It's okay to still be struggling, to be uncomfortable and uneasy and…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm the ghost half and I'm struggling with being a ghost."

"You are?" Fenton asked, slight surprise in his voice.

"Yes. I don't know how to be a ghost." Phantom raised his arms. "I've only been like this for a month, even counting before the ghost catcher. And...I miss being human or...being able to turn human."

The human blinked at him, face thoughtful for a few moments. "I think...I miss it too. That...cold feeling in my veins. The pulsing of our core in my chest, right where my heart is." His brow furrowed. "Part of it is..I miss being whole but after flying with you...I miss being part ghost."

Now it was Phantom's turn to stare. "You...miss being part ghost?"

Fenton nodded. "Yeah. It doesn't make much sense. Like you said, we were only like that for a month before the ghost catcher. And I remember being terrified and freaked out by what was happening to me but...I miss it." He frowned. "How can I be so scared of something but want it at the same time?"

"I don't know." Phantom's shoulders feel. It wasn't a surprise he didn't know. Apparently no part of him understood this fear and longing that somehow went hand in hand. But at the same time, hope crept into his core. Fenton...he not just wanted to be whole, but to be half ghost, a hybrid, a human and a ghost at the same time. The person they were supposed to be. The real, whole Danny.

There was hope for them, wasn't there? Hope that they together could accept what had happened and what they'd become. Maybe they could even embrace and learn to love it. Because both sides of him wanted to. And while just wanting it alone wasn't enough to make progress, it was the first step, a large and difficult first step. They could keep taking steps, keep making progress. Phantom knew what his other self, all of him really, needed to understand. He knew what he, as the ghost half, needed to do.

* * *

"So where does that leave us?" Fenton asked after a long moment of silence. He'd poured out his heart, the fears and guilt entrapping him. And his other half had listened, sharing those feelings. Then the ghost surprised him with that apology, the lack of blame, the admission that he too was uncomfortable being a ghost and that was okay.

Phantom looked up, meeting his eyes. "We need to let go of this guilt."

Fenton blinked. "What?"

"All of it. About being afraid and uncomfortable. About hurting Mom and Dad. About worrying Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. About the failed merge and ghost catcher."

The human bit his lip. "But-"

"No." Phantom held up a hand. "Like everyone's been saying, we didn't know this would happen when we used the ghost catcher. And we'd never do it again so they're not reason to be guilty." Then his expression softened. "And maybe the merging failed because...you were scared. We weren't at peace but… that wasn't just you. I was...I...I am scared too. And this...this tension, this discord between us...it's not just from you. It's mine too."

Phantom paused for a moment, examining his frowning counterpart. More guilt and sadness assaulted Fenton's heart. Part of him wanted to argue; there was still reason to feel guilty about the ghost catcher. He still felt bad about the merge failing, that he couldn't be who he was supposed to be because of this fear he couldn't shake.

"You don't need to but you still feel guilty, don't you?" The ghost continued. He pulled himself up to his knees before leaning forward and wrapping his arms around his other self. "You did nothing wrong, Fenton. I'm sorry I was ever angry with you for that. But I want to let it go, all that stuff we've been beating ourselves up about. And I forgive you." Fenton blinked, confusion swirling through his head but there was a wave of understanding, of kindness, of peace from his other self. "I know you can forgive yourself too."

Fenton stared forward for a moment, his mind struggling to process. Then shakily, he wrapped his arms around his other self, returning the hug. "I...I don't…" He closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't..."

Concern brushed the human from his other half. The ghost squeezed him slightly before pulling back and frowning. "Danny, we don't have to hold on to all this baggage. We need to let it go." A gloved hand squeezed his shoulder. "So please stop being so stubborn."

The human considered the words, the plea to let go of his guilt. He understood what his ghost half was saying and why he needed to let go of this baggage. It was holding him down, drowning him. This guilt was even a huge source of disunity between him and Phantom. But...that was so much easier said than done. Could he do that, let go of this guilt about trying to get rid of his ghost half and failing when they tried to fuse? At the same time…..Phantom was willing to let this go. Phantom, his ghost half, the part of himself he'd rejected and wronged, forgave him without reservation.

At the thought, Fenton studied the boy in front of him. Phantom was a part of him, as Fenton was a part of Phantom. Yet somehow, the ghost kept surprising him. He wasn't sure how but he kept discovering things in Phantom that he hadn't known were inside himself. That much patience, that much grace…. He'd..they'd...the whole Danny had always had a problem being too hard on himself, haunted by lingering guilt and shame of past mistakes and internal flaws. But….somehow Phantom was kind and forgiving of those faults.

"Ummmm... are you okay? You're...staring." Phantom bit his lip, shaking Fenton out of his thoughts.

The human blushed. "Sorry. It's just….how are we the same person?"

The ghost's eyes widened in concern. "Why...what's that supposed to mean?"

Fenton shook his head, realizing what his strange question, the sudden change in subject must have sounded like. "I mean...how are you being so...nice about this after everything? All this tension between us, me ignoring you, yelling at our friends." He bit his lip, shame coloring his face. "I just...I can't imagine being as patient and forgiving as you're being right now."

The ghost blinked at him, a myriad of emotions covering his face. Fenton should see...and feel the wheels turning, his other self trying to process. His lips turned down. "Well….that's." He shook his head, a slightly awed look on his face. "Obviously, we're capable of more than we think." He wrung his hands. "And...I'm trying to remember what Jazz said when we talked earlier."

"What did she say?" Fenton tilted his head.

"A lot of things. Mainly that the two of us needed to talk and...not be afraid of dealing with our issues. She said that..getting where we're supposed to be would take time, maybe a long time. So we need to be patient with ourselves."

"Oh." The human gave a slightly tensing smile. "So you're only being nice to me 'cause Jazz said so."

The ghost narrowed his eyes before playfully punching his other half in the shoulder. "Course not." Then his expression turned more serious. "But she did have a point. We don't know how long it will take to figure out how to refuse and...just doing that won't solve our problems if we're still not at peace with each other."

"Yeah." Fenton said, with a nod.

"So, what do you say?" Phantom asked after a moment. "About letting go of the guilt?"

Most of Fenton's previous levity leaked out. He bit his lip. "I don't know if I can promise that." Phantom's expression fell and Fenton almost regretted the words. "But… I will try."

"Oh." Phantom shrugged sadly.. "That's all I can ask, I guess."

Phantom's expression pricked the human's heart. He looked so disappointed, so sad, so hurt again. Obviously he'd hoped his kind words and actions would provoke an instant change in outlook from his human. And while the words were uplifting and encouraging, as much as Fenton wished he could just turn off his guilt and other negative emotions, letting go would take time.

Fenton swallowed. "I think….I can promise you something though." Phantom looked up at him and the human boy gave him a subdued though sincere smile. "No more hiding. No more avoiding." He put a hand on his other half's knee. "No more blocking you out."

The ghost blinked at him for a second before tilting his head. "You mean that."

It wasn't a question and for once, Fenton wasn't surprised at his other self's certainty. "Yes. Of course. It was stupid trying to hide what I was thinking and feeling from you in the first place."

"It kinda was but…" Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't share or push you to talk either."

"Yeah." Fenton frowned. "But...we can change that. Be open with each other. Honest about what we're feeling and thinking. Just..talk about things, since… that's our only option now.."

"Hey." The ghost offered his other self a gentle smile. "Even if we can't actually merge yet...we can act like two halves of a whole." Phantom took his human's hand. "I know I want to go back to being one Danny as much as you do but...we can make the best of this while we're split. Maybe we can see and learn some new things about ourself." His smile widened. "Since you keep surprising me too."

Fenton hummed thoughtfully. "Why do you think that is?"

Phantom shrugged. "Maybe it's being split. Maybe it's becoming a ghost. That's new and...most of the things I can do as a ghost surprise me."

The human nodded in response. There was still so much he didn't know about his powers, about being a ghost but...they were learning. And… he smiled. "I did learn one important thing tonight….I think I like flying."

His other self's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm...it definitely scares me but… the view is worth it."

Phantom looked up. "The stars do look better from the sky than the ground." He then grinned. "And you haven't even felt what flying fast really feels like."

Fenton's jaw dropped. "That wasn't fast?"

"Nope." The ghost popped the P. "That was barely crawling compared to what we can really do."

The human paled slightly. "I think we're gonna need to wait on that. But...we'll get there, I know we will."

As Fenton said it, he felt confident and he sensed confident agreement from his other half. The boy sighed contentedly for the first time in a long time. Returning his smile, Phantom floated off the ground and shifted in the air until he came to sit beside his other half. One ghostly arm wrapped around Fenton and the human returned the favor. The pair sat side by side, both heads turned towards the star-filled sky. As a silent pause lingered between the two, both enjoyed a movement of peace between their two halves. Both felt close, in unity. Their emotions clearly and freely communicated between the two parts of their mind. Memories trickled through as well. Fenton saw the lazy day at home with books and video games, the conversation with Jazz. For Phantom, memories of school, that conversation in Hot Topic with their friends. And it felt good, sharing everything again even those hard conversations, the very ones that led to this moment. For once, they were two halves working in concert, instead of the warring pieces they had been. The human's shoulders relaxed. This...this was a good sign, that they could let go of the guilt, quench the fear, and embrace who and what they really were.

The sounds of insects, the bubbling of a stream trickled into Fenton's ears. The breeze caressed him. And the sight...was it more vivid than before? The grass, the last summer flowers, the buzzing insects….he could see the details, the colors much more clearly than his human eyes. Wait...was he seeing out of Phantom's eyes? Or where his glowing? Was..he seeing out of both pairs but side by side the images were near identical? And how...how had he not noticed this before? Or why hadn't Phantom said anything? It was all so...capativing, so beautiful and a small measure of joy entered Fenton's heart. Was this what seeing the night was as a ghost? If it was…he loved this part of being a ghost.

If Fenton had been more clear headed, he might have been more surprised at the ghostly vision. Or realized he just found something he loved about being a ghost, something that held no fear. But in the quiet, Fenton's heart rate and breathing was slowing. The peace within and without almost lulled him to sleep.

Then something poked his shoulder. "Come on. We need to head back."

Fenton was jolted back to consciousness. He rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. I should probably sleep in our bed, not in the middle of the park."

With a nod, Phantom floated to his feet. He then offered his hand to his counterpart. Fenton took the help, allowing his ghost to pull him to his feet.

"I'll go ahead and fly us home." The ghost looked at him with a concerned frown. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Fenton blinked once before understanding the question. "Yeah. I still trust you." He said with more confidence than the first time. "And...I won't get over this fear unless I try to."

"Alright." Phantom raised a brow. He looked up and down the sleepy figure. "I'm not sure piggy back's the best idea…"

"Ugg." Fenton gave a slight groan. "Bridal style then."

The ghost gave an amused chuckle. "I mean...I could carry you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes."

The human frowned and then crossed his arms. "I guess I'll just be the damsel in distress then."

"My lady." Grinning, Phantom gave a mock bow. With a faux annoyed scowl, Fenton pushed him, causing the ghost to wabble in the air before laughing. "Maybe I will just carry you over my shoulder."

Fenton shrieked in the blink of an eye, the ghost scooped him up before throwing him over his shoulder. "Phantom! Put me down." He started laughing.

"Why should I?" Phantom lifted a few feet into the air and twirled.

His human squirmed but still laughed. "Phantom! Stop."

"I don't know….this had got to be more dignified than the alternative."

"My...my dignity's already shot." Fenton panted through chuckles. "Just carry me bridal style."

With that, Phantom put him down. The two stood and floated for a moment, identical laughter ringing out before quieting.

"Alright." Fenton shook his head. "I'm ready to go."

Still smiling, Phantom gently scooped him up and after letting his human adjust his arm around this ghost's neck, the pair started back towards Fentonworks.

Note:

So with this chapter, this story passes 100K words which I can hardly believe. When I started it, I had no idea this story would grow this extensive and they're still a ways to go (8 chapters at least but who knows how many of those will get broken up into multiple chapters). With that being said, I'm still so grateful for everyone's that still sticking with me. I always look forward to your comments and encouragement. This story definitely would not have gone on as long as it have if not for you guys so thank you so much!


	23. Chapter 23

To Phantom's relief, the flight home was much smoother than their previous attempt. Anxiety still buzzed through him from his other self but it was dimmed. The idle chat between the pair was definitely helping.

"Hey Phantom. Wanna hear a joke about ghosts?" Fenton asked.

The ghost titled his head. "Sure."

The human grinned at him. "That's the spirit."

Phantom wrinkled his nose in confusion for a moment, not getting the joke. Then a laugh burst out of his mouth. "Fenton. What the heck." He snorted.

"Oo. I've got another one." The human grinned. "Why are ghosts so bad at lying?"

The ghost chuckled. "Why?"

"Because… because...you can see...see right through them!" Fenton struggled to deliver the punchline before breaking down in giggles.

Watching his other half grin and feeling the mirth the boy was projecting, Phantom couldn't help but laugh as well. Then he raised a brow. "Is that so?" His grin widened into something mischievous and the ghost turned both himself and his passenger invisible.

"Phantom!" Fenton yelped, his grip on his counterpart tightened before he started laughing. "I _see_ what you did there." Still smiling, his gaze fixed on Phantom's face. "Actually...I can still see you." There was a hint of awed-surprise in his voice.

The ghost felt the same. "I...I can see you too."

The arm looped around Phantom's neck relaxed slightly. "Man, that is so cool."

"It is." The ghost boy turned both of them visible. "But you can always see me when I'm invisible, can't you?"

"It's not really seeing." Fenton tilted his head thoughtfully. "It's more like...I just know where you are even if I can't actually see you...if that makes any sense."

Phantom nodded. "Yeah...I think I get it." There was a beat of thoughtful silence before the ghost grinned again. "So, do you have any more bad jokes for me?"

Fenton huffed, faux offended. "Come on, my jokes are awesome." He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly. "I know for a fact you like them."

Phantom rolled his eyes before blushing. Well now, he was caught in a hard place. Oh of course he liked the jokes but he couldn't very well say that.

"I've got another one." The human narrowed his eyes, playfully. "It's perfect, even funnier than that joke about chicken and waffles that Dad loves and we pretend isn't actually funny."

The ghost rolled his eyes. "Get to the point."

"Okay, Okay." He raised his free hand. "What do you call…." He paused schooling his expression. "The ghost of a chicken?"

Phantom looked at him questioningly, not saying anything. But the corner of his lips turned up despite himself.

"You'd call it…." Another pause. Green and blue eyes meet again, mischievousness shining in the human's gaze. "A poultry-geist."

A silent stare down insuided, a battle to see who would crack first. Phantom fought to keep his expression neutral, to keep his lips from turning up. Fenton was doing the same, only his eyes displaying the mirth within. But that feeling still radiated into the ghost from the connection to his other self. The levity, the humor buzzed at Phantom's core, making his spirit (ha!) feel even lighter. A silent laugh shook the ghost's chest but he fought to keep it silent. Fenton clearly noticed the shift. His eyebrows wiggled ever so slightly and Phantom was done for.

Sudden laughter burst from the ghost's mouth, his lips turned up in an incredibly wide smile. A second later, Fenton followed. It felt so good to laugh again, even if Phantom knew he was laughing at his own joke. And of course he was. He could always count on himself to appreciate his own puns. But really, what felt even better was being unified, at peace with the other half of himself. As both figure's shoulders shook with the sound, the laughter morphed. It merged into one sound, one voice ringing with relief, joy and unity.

If both Dannys had been in a position to double over laughing, they would have. Instead Fenton's head lulled to the side, resting on Phantom's shoulder. The ghost's head tilted slightly, to rest against Fenton's head. The laughter quieted but didn't end as the two just enjoyed each other's company. They were two parts, moving together, instead of the jagged incomplete fractions they had been. Not whole, not complete. But...the gaps were lessening, the splinters in their soul healing.

The quiet chuckling continued as they arrived back outside of their house. Phantom phased himself and his passenger through the wall of their bedroom. The pair was so relaxed, neither noticed they weren't alone anymore.

"Daniel James Fenton!"

Two pairs of eyes popped open, gazes falling on the two adults.

"Mom! Dad!" In shock, Phantom's arms fell to his sides.

Then there was a yelp. "Phantom!"

Shoot. He'd just dropped Fenton. The arm around his neck tightened, pulling him down. With a huff, the human landed on his behind, his legs splayed in front of him. Phantom flopped onto his stomach, draped over his human's legs.

"This is turning into a pattern." Fenton mussed, amusement in his voice.

Phantom nodded, pushing himself up with his hands. "Yeah, It is." The corner of his lip turned up slightly; between the previous levity and the humor of the situation, he smiled despite himself. He sat down on the carpet, perpendicular to his other half before giving him an appraising look. "You okay?"

Fenton nodded. "Yeah. I'm-"

"Danny!" The human boy was cut off by his parents pounding towards him. "Are you okay?" Mom lowered herself to her knees while Dad squatted.

"I'm fine." Fenton and Phantom said at the same time.

Mom's eyes flitted between the two faces, before trailing up and down each body in search of injuries. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Both Dannys spit out, slightly annoyed at the hovering.

"They're fine, Madds." Dad reassured looking between the two versions of his son.

He stood up before offering one hand to Fenton and one to Phantom to help each boy to his feet. A moment later, Mom stood. At seeing both Dannys standing or floating unharmed, her worried expression slowly weaned and her face hardened. "Where have you been?"

Sudden nervousness spiked at her change in tone. Phantom blinked. "What?"

"Your father and I came to check on you an hour ago and you were gone!" She put a hand on her head. "We tried calling you but" She held up their bookbag. "You left your phone in your bag! Where were you?!" Phantom opened his mouth to answer but Mom continued. "We...we had no idea where you were. None. You just...just disappeared without telling us anything!" There was a hint of hysteria in her voice, anger just covering intense worry. "And then you just phase back in here laughing like nothing happened. How could you...How could you just leave like that, without telling us after, after...everything?! I thought you'd...you'd-" Her voice cracked before she cut off whatever she'd been trying to say. "We were worried sick. Where were you?!"

"Oh. We...ummm" Phantom swallowed, tension rising in him under his Mom's angry gaze.

He glanced at Fenton, who was rubbing the back of his neck. "I..uhh...wanted to go flying."

Mom blinked, confusion passing over her face.

Similar confusion passed over Dad's expression. "You wanted to go flying?"

Fenton glanced at his counterpart nervously. "Uhh...yeah."

Mom quickly looked between the two, eyes falling on Phantom. "You went flying?!" Frantic anger leaked into her disbelieving voice. "How could you? That's….that's dangerous." She looked at Fenton. "You could have fallen or gotten lost or-"

Something prickled in Phantom's core. Maybe anger, maybe hurt. He swallowed. "It's fine...we're fine."

"Fine!? Something could have happened to you!" She pointed angrily.

"Nothing would have happened." Phantom crossed his arms, before glancing at Fenton. "I would never let him fall."

Mom's jaw dropped, her eyes narrowing. "But...you can't just…"

Fenton spoke up. "It's fine Mom." He stepped forward and looped his arm in Phantom's. "I trust my ghost half."

Earlier, the declaration of trust would have been reassuring but now, Mom's attitude, her reaction to them flying grated at Phantom. Was this normal parental concern or...was that mistrust? Dangerous. Was flying dangerous or...was he, the ghost, dangerous?

"Yes but...humans cannot just fly." The woman put her hands up.

To Phantom, the words were a stab to the core. He glared. "I'm not human."

Another voice, or rather his own without the echo, said the words at the same time. But not angry, instead they were flat, lacking bite. Feeling his anger drain from him, the ghost looked at his human counterpart. Then his eyes widened in surprise. The human wasn't looking down, his shoulders heavy with sorrow like Phantom expected. He was looking directly at their parents. And while there was an undeniable hint of sadness in his eyes, there was...acceptance as well.

Fenton swallowed. "I'm not completely human, not anymore. This-" He waved up and down the ghost's body with his free hand. "Phantom...is a part of who I am now. Flying included."

Despite the lingering sting from Mom's statement, the assurance bolstered the ghost's confidence. He stood tall, arm in arm with his other self. Again, he felt more unified and at peace with Fenton than he had at any time since the ghost catcher. And he hoped Mom and Dad could see that and accept what they had to say.

But the ghost feared it wasn't so as Mom paled, the anger leaking from her face. She looked uncomfortable again, maybe even fearful but tried to cover it by crossing her arms. "You still...something could have happened to you." She swallowed. "You could have-"

"Madds." Dad's hand appeared on her arm, interpreting. "They're fine. Nothing happened."

She shook her head. "But-"

"You can stop worrying." He squeezed her comfortingly. "Our boy's home safe. And happier than I've seen either of him in a while." At the last part, Dad looked at the pair of Dannys with an almost relieved smile.

Phantom would have blushed at the observation, except...Dad was looking at him with loving relief, holding no anger. He remembered what Dad had said earlier, how he'd give anything to see his son smile again. And well…..yes, he was happier than he'd been in a while. Mom must have seen or realized something similar because she looked between the two Dannys, the anger and worry on her face lessening into relief as well.

The woman sighed. "You're right Jack. You're right. Danny's safe." She looked between the two boys lovingly for a few moments before her expression turned hard, not angry per say but completely serious. She crossed her arms. "But what exactly possessed you to go….flying…. past curfew without your phone?"

Phantom swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck. "There was no possession involved."

Mom raised a brow, as if to say 'seriously?'

Fenton coughed. "We uhh… went flying around sunset, got talking and just kinda lost track of time."

Disbelievingly, Mom glared. "Really? You were just talking?"

Suddenly alarmed at the distrust, both Dannys put up their hands. "We weren't doing anything bad, I swear." They said at the same time.

Fenton continued. "I just wanted to fly so we did for a bit and stargazed."

"Then we landed in the park and talked for a while." Phantom added.

"Talked about what?" Mom asked.

Phantom crossed his arms, looking away. "It's...it's private."

At the closed off response, Mom and Dad looked between each other questioningly. Phantom really hoped they would not press. He was in no way ready to talk about any of his issues with his parents, especially considering Mom's reaction to learning he and his human counterpart went flying. He, all of him, was working on accepting and embracing his ghostliness. But Mom and Dad….. 'But humans can't fly.' He struggled not to shiver at the words. It was technically true but… said as if he was only human and that's all he was supposed to be. And the way Mom paled and sputtered when Fenton said he wasn't completely human anymore...it all pricked at his core.

"You don't have to tell us." Dad finally said.

"But if you want to talk to us about anything, you can." Mom continued. "You know that right?"

Fenton and Phantom glanced at each other, biting their lips. They weren't sure that was true, not after…..wrong, unnatural, ghosts aren't like humans….. Everything. They nodded anyway.

Seemingly satisfied, Mom nodded. Then Dad continued. "And then you lost track of time?"

"Yeah." Fenton bit his lip. "After we talked, we stargazed and it was so pretty and quiet, we...uhh….didn't noticed how late it was getting."

Phantom wrung his hands. "We thought we wouldn't be gone long so didn't think to tell you...or bring the phone."

Mom nodded, understanding on her face. "Alright." She glanced at her husband. "We believe you."

Brief relief passed through both boys; Mom and Dad had calmed down. They weren't angry anymore and believed their story about what happened. The feeling soon left.

"But you're grounded." Dad crossed arms.

Both jaws dropped. "What?!"

"But...we weren't doing anything bad." Fenton argued.

"We just lost track of time." Phantom frowned, whining.

Dad pinned the pair with a serious look. "You were out past curfew."

"But we didn't mean to." The ghost pouted.

"Danny." Mom put one hand on her hip. "You left without telling us where you went. You didn't even bring your phone so we could call you."

"But-" Fenton started.

Mom put up a hand, continuing. "Anything could have happened to you. And we won't know if you were hurt or lost, or where to look for you if something happened. You had no way to get up with anyone if you needed help." She frowned, sounding not angry but disappointed.

Guilt swirled in Phantom's core. She...she had a point. They hadn't even thought to tell Jazz and...not bringing the phone was stupid over sight. "I'm sorry. We...we should have told you….or at least brought the phone."

Fenton looked down. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"Make sure it doesn't." She shook her head. "You need to be more careful, Danny."

"We will be." Both Dannys said.

Then Fenton bit his lip. "Are we...are we still grounded?"

"Yes." Mom said flatly. "No going out with your friends for a week and they can't come over after school."

"And we're taking your phone and computer." Dad added.

"But...but…" Fenton stuttered.

"This is serious." Mom crossed her arms. "You missed curfew. And you can not run off without telling us."

"I know but…" Phantom held up his hands. "I won't get to talk to Sam and Tucker all week!"

"You'll see them at school." Mom frowned.

"But I can't go to school." Phantom whined, motioning to his glowing form.

At the statement, Mom and Dad blinked startledly like they just realized that fact. The adults looked at each other. "How about…..they keep the phone but not the computer?" Dad suggested.

Mom nodded. "Fine then. You can keep your phone. But the rest stands." She then pointed at Phantom. "And no video games tomorrow or Thursday while you're home."

The ghost swallowed. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Mom's face then softened. "I'm so happy you're home safe, Danny." Looking between the two faces, she tentatively stepped forward before wrapping her arms around Fenton and Phantom. "But never worry me like that again, okay?"

The ghost startled slightly at the unexpected affection. He returned the hug. "We won't." He said sincerely, at the same time as Fenton.

After a moment, the woman stepped back, a sad expression creeping onto her face. There was a beat of silence, quickly growing awkward.

"I think we all need to go to sleep." Dad finally interrupted. "We'll see you in the morning son."

Oh sleep, yeah that was something all the human members of the family needed. Phantom frowned, his brow wrinkling.

"Good night." Mom offered a small smile, walking towards the door.

"Good night." Fenton muttered quietly and Phantom said the same a second later.

With one last glance, Mom and then Dad walked out the door before closing it and leaving the pair alone.

* * *

Fenton and Phantom stood side by side in silence for a moment before the human stepped away. With a sigh, he walked towards the bed and flopped down. The boy put his head in his hands. "You know, I was having such a good night after everything and then….."

"We just had to come in to Mom freaking out." Phantom sat down beside his counterpart, a deep frown painting his face.

"It really was dumb to not bring our phone." Fenton looked up and wrung his hands. "I can't believe we're grounded."

"Yeah this stucks." The ghost huffed. "I guess it could be worse though. Mom sounded like….."

Fenton raised a brow as his other half trailed off. "What?"

A spike of anxiety came from Phantom as the ghost bit his lip. "Mom sounded like she was just seconds away from saying we weren't allowed to fly anymore."

The human's eyes widened, slightly startled. "You really think that?"

"You heard her." Phantom grumbled, a hint of anger leaking into his face. "Humans aren't supposed to fly."

The reminder stabbed at Fenton's heart. He….well...he had thought that just hours ago but he was working on accepting that he wasn't really human anymore. The flight tonight had been a big step towards that. But Mom thinking that? Somehow hearing it from her stung more.

At the lack of verbal response, Phantom continued. "I thought she was getting better. I know accepting that we're not human anymore is hard. Heck, we're struggling with that. But did she have to say that out loud? Like...like we're wrong 'cause we're not human. 'Cause we're a ghost. They're nothing wrong with flying or being like this!"

During the speech, Fenton could feel anger rising in his other self, just covering the fear. The human looked at his counterpart. "Maybe she was just worried and didn't mean it. I mean, we disappeared and Mom and Dad didn't know where we were."

Phantom glared, as if to ask 'really?' and Fenton raised his hands placatingly. The ghost then sighed. "Sorry. I know you're just hoping for the best but what if they do try to keep us from flying?" Phantom wrapped his arms around himself. "I don't think… I don't think I could handle that. It's weird...we've only been able to do that for like a month, and I remember being so afraid before but…." He shivered. "Not being able to would be like...like, being locked in a box or chained to the floor." Phantom finally looked up, meeting the human's blue eyes. "But you were shaking like a leaf just earlier, when we tried. How does that work?"

Fenton frowned. Well that… "I guess we're at different places. You are the ghost half; I guess it shouldn't be surprising you're more comfortable with the ghost stuff than me. But.." He leaned into his other self. "I hate the thought of being barred from flying too. I mean, I'm finally getting used to the idea. And...I want to get past being afraid."

The human felt his ghost relax at the statement. He knew Phantom believed him; Fenton had said pretty much the same thing about flying earlier. But repeating it, after getting chewed out by Mom, reinforced his conviction.

"Thank you for saying I'm a part of who you are now, to Mom and Dad." Phantom muttered after a moment.

"Of course." Fenton said softly. "We're a part of each other, really." He wrapped one arm around his counterpart in a side hug. "It felt good to say it confidently, ya know. Like being a ghost and flying isn't negotiable. Even if I'm not always confident of that." A tickle of guilt tried to worm its way into Fenton's heart. But Phantom snuffed it out.

Half-smiling, the ghost put one arm around his human, returning the side hug. "And thanks for the honesty. Remember, we don't have to be confident all the time. But I'm just...I'm so happy you're trying...and talking to me again."

"Yeah." The pair sat in silence for a bit, enjoying their own company. Again, Fenton was struck by the strangeness of the situation. He was literally sitting beside himself. He'd gone flying tonight, and managed to get in trouble because he lost track of time talking to himself.

He still wasn't that sure how to feel about the grounding. Guilty for making his parents worry, Annoyed at himself for not paying more attention, Angry at Mom and Dad for punishing him, Worried and Hurt at Mom's near hysterical reaction. It was a tangled mess inside his head but having his other half by his side and for once, not being at odds with him, made it feel more manageable.

Phantom spoke up. "Whatever happens with Mom and Dad, we stick together, yeah."

Fenton looked at his ghost, giving him a kind smile. "Yeah, we stick together."

"You should go on to bed." Phantom suggested, returning the smile. "I'll see you in the morning."

The ghost floated off the bed but stopped when he noticed Fenton frowning at him. "What are you gonna do tonight?"

The ghost shrugged. "Probably read some. Watch some YouTube videos." His shoulders fell. "I'm definitely not going flying after….." He sighed. "I probably shouldn't have been going off in the middle of the night anyway. I guess it's just gonna be another boring night."

The human tilted his head thoughtfully. "Do you want to try sleeping?"

The ghost shook his head, huffing. "What's the point? It never works. Beside...the bed's occupied."

"It's your bed too." Fenton said, gently. "We'll both fit and it's not like personal space is really an issue." The human grinned teasingly. "Plus, you've got to be a better bed fellow than Jazz."

"She takes up the entire bed and moves so much." Phantom whined slightly in complaint. The corner of his mouth turned up reminiscently. "Remember when we were little and had to share a bed with her at Grandma's house?"

"She always kicked us. And somehow always ended up with her head at the other end of the bed." Fenton continued with a snort. "I'm so happy they got that pull out couch and we don't have to share anymore." His smile then flattened. "But seriously, if you wanna to try sleeping, there's space."

Phantom shook his head. "Nah. But thanks for the offer. I'm going to go read the book I was working on downstairs." He floated towards the door before turning back. "Goodnight Danny."

"Good night Danny." Fenton parroted, with a smile before Phantom phased through the door, leaving the human to get dressed for bed.

* * *

True to his word, there was no midnight flight for Phantom. Honestly that felt weird considering the regularity of those escapades since the ghost catcher. Between the aimless wanderings of the first few days after splitting and more recently fleeing due to emotional stress from his parents or his own human half, Phantom had gotten rather used to almost literally haunting the empty streets. Instead, tonight he was in a way, haunting Fentonworks.

The house was quiet, almost ominously so. Every tick of the clocks, every hum of the refrigerator, every russel of branches just outside the window, every creak of the pipes stood out in sharp contrast without the sounds of human voices, passing cars, and lab work that filled the day. At the same time, the house was pitch black dark. Or...it would be if not for Phantom's own glow. The green of his eyes and the clear white of his aura lit up the livingroom, casting eerie shadows.

The ghost tilted his head as he studied his hands. Was his glow...brighter? He blinked confusedly as he wiggled his fingers and watched how the aura around them blurred the movement. It was brighter, wasn't it? Why?

Wiggling his fingers again, Phantom floated into the kitchen. The green numbers of the clock above the oven caught his attention. 3:06 am, The Witching Hour. His brow furrowed. According to Sam, wasn't this time of night associated with the supernatural? When witches, demons, and...ghosts appeared and were at their strongest.

The ghost looked at his hands again. Was that why his glow was brighter? It was the witching hour and so he was...stronger? Did he feel stronger? Phantom wasn't sure. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to feel the cold energy inside of him. The ectoenergy, that's what Mom and Dad said it was called. Drawing the power from the ball in his chest, he collected the energy in his hand. His eyes lit up as neon green energy colessed in his palm. It spread, overtaking his whole hand. The ghost watched with wide eyes. The light seemed to dance, swirling around his still bare hand. Tentatively, he moved his other unlit hand over the light; it licked at his hand like a cool flame, except instead of bringing pain it was..comforting, like aloe on a sunburn. The ghost smiled in awe. It was so beautiful, incredible. And he'd done this. Right now, actually was the first time he'd purposefully summoned the ectoenergy, not during a time of emotional distress.

For a few moments, he studied the light, now radiating from both hands. He tried to feel the energy in his core again, to sense if it was stronger compared to earlier. Phantom tilted his head. It might be? It was hard to tell; he still wasn't that used to being a ghost and what it felt like. He knew he didn't get tired like he did as a human but...he could overtax his powers, right? In the first few days, he'd found out that he couldn't manatain invisibility for hours on end, even if he could maintain passive floating. He hadn't really tested intangibility or his ectoblasts (That would be a cool name for his shots of ectoenergy) but those had to have limits as well, and consequences if he overdid it. So maybe he did get tired, just not for the same reasons and in the same ways a human did.

Phantom looked at his hand again as he noticed the green light flickering and shrinking. He tried to push more energy into it but met resistance. His core seemed to clench, preventing him from drawing more power. After a few seconds, he stopped trying and his core relaxed. Huh… he furrowed his brow thoughtfully. He needed to actually test out his powers and see what he could really do. That way he could learn what overdoing it felt like and learning to listen to this version of his body. It was really weird, thinking that this specific body hadn't existed a month ago. He was literally inside a different body than the one he'd grown up in. Somehow that body, his human body was asleep upstairs with the other half of his soul still inhabiting it. That, having two bodies, was so weird and Phantom knew he would never get used to that. But...having a ghost form, being a ghost, that was something he was actually getting used. The glowing and floating, the green eyes and white hair in the mirror. Those were all starting to feel more comfortable. And this ectoplasmic form now felt more like his body than a foreign vessel.

Minutes later, the ectoenergy in the ghost's hands extinguished. The light he was projecting lessened slightly, though his glow remained abnormally bright. He looked at the clock again. 3:26 am. So he'd keep that energy up for twenty minutes. Not bad, especially since he hadn't been able to do that at all until a few days ago. Maybe there was something to this witching hour idea.

Still floating in the kitchen, Phantom started turning around, intending to sit down on the couch and read but something seemed to stop him. He glanced at the door to the lab….when had he floated closer to it? He frowned. He was feeling….something. Or sensing it. He tilted his head, studying the door. He'd felt this before, in the lab with Fenton after telling Mom and Dad. With little thought, he was phasing through the door to the lab and was halfway down the stairs. He stopped, eyes falling on the portal.

Goosebumps rose on his hands. The Cold, a sensation he was used to projecting instead of feeling, wafted passed him. Instead of being oppressive or harsh, it was…. soft, comforting. A gentle breeze caressing him Something hummed in his ears, his head….in his core. A low, layered sound. Almost...a song, a call. Multitudes of voices welcoming, calling. Come here. Come home.

Phantom floated a few feet farther, hand reaching forward. Yes, he knew what this was. The portal or maybe the ghost zone itself. It was calling to him and it really was a beautiful sound. For a second, the thought of answering passed through his mind. He was a ghost, a creature of the Zone, wasn't he? But he'd never been there. What wonders were on the other side, waiting for him? He could drifted through and explore for a few hours and be back before anyone woke up or-

The ghost ripped his hand away, as if he was burned. A small measure of fear jabbed his core. No, no, nope. He was not doing this tonight. He wasn't going through the portal, not without a plan or back up. Even a few hours was just asking to get lost or lose track of time. And he had no idea what was on the other side. He could run into anything and get hurt or lost or….

But...the sound was so tempting, so beautiful, so welcoming. And it wasn't malicious. His core screamed that it wasn't a trick or a trap but a real invitation. And something inside him, something new and otherworldly, knew that was true. Maybe it was new ghostly instincts, the same ones that helped direct his powers. Or some kind of knowledge imprinted on his soul by death. But he knew the call of the portal wasn't a lie. He could go through and would be safe but….

Fear pricked him again and the ghost felt the shadow of a heart beat in his chest. His eyes widened and he looked at his hands. "Fenton...are you dreaming about this right now?"

There was a tug in his mind and the ghost could feel the line tethering him to his other self, his humanity, more keenly. He could feel Fenton following along with what he was doing and thinking right now. And...that part of him, the part that was human and alive, was afraid of the portal's song. If Fenton had been down here with him, his hair would be raised too, but for a different reason. His haunches would be raised in dread from the ominous, unwelcoming sound. Phantom furrowed his brow in confusion, trying to puzzle out the conflicting emotions. Longing and fear. At once feeling drawn and repelled. It was contradictory, confusing, to feel two things so opposed.

Ghost Danny turned around, floating back up the stairs. He needed to get away from the portal for now, to try and get the sound out of his head. Why was it so much louder now than it had been earlier? Before it had been subtle but now it was much more tempting. But why?...He hummed thoughtfully for a moment before something tickled in his mind. A poke from his other self who was still dreaming with him….the witching hour. Wasn't the witching hour also supposed to be when the veil between life and death was thinnest? Maybe that was why the song was louder, or rather he could just hear it better as the barrier between the worlds was thinner and more easily penetrated. He glanced back, again feeling a swell of longing and more distant warriness at the same. Two contrasting feelings from his different halves. The ghost wondered what his complete self, the Danny that was really human and ghost at the same time, would feel. Both in equal measures? Or would it differ depending on what form he was in?

Phantom shook his head. None of that really mattered right now. He could sort that out once he and Fenton refused. And either way, right now he belonged with his friends and family and his human half. Here on Earth, the realm of the living, not in the world of ghosts.

With that thought, Phantom phased through the door. The sound of the portal was already almost completely out of his perception as he grounded himself literally and planted his feet on the floor. He crossed the living room and flopped down on the couch. Beside him, his phone was plugged in to charge. He plugged in some headphones and turned some music on. There, some good music to read to. He picked up his book and read until the sun came up.


	24. Chapter 24

Dreamed images floated through Fenton's consciousness. His own hands in front of him, swirling with neon green light. The dark lab. The portal. Was that churning ectoplasm the same color as his? Floating up the stairs, sitting on the couch in the darkened living room. Dark….it was dark. Fenton's mind drifted, the images falling away into….nothing…...

Fenton blinked awake to soft gray light. Mind fuzzy with sleep, he groaned into his pillow. He closed his eyes, thoughtlessly, and started drifting again. Then cold air brushed his face and he was pulled back to consciousness. He opened half lidded eyes.

"Phantom?" He questioned. The ghost was kneeling in front of him, just beyond the edge of the bed.

"Sorry." The ghost whispered. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"What are you doing?" Fenton muttered, sleepily.

"Trying to find our hazmat suit." The ghost ducked lower, clearly searching under the bed. "I can't remember where I left it yesterday."

"Bathroom." The human answered, already burying his head in his pillow again.

"Oh yeah." Phantom's voice rang with realization. Fenton gave a wordless hum. Then cold hands were shaking him.

The human lifted his heavy head. "What?" He groaned, annoyedly.

"Don't go back to sleep." His ghost self gently admonished. "Our alarm goes off in like one minute."

At that, Fenton turned an eye to the clock. He groaned again, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly. It was in fact 6:59 am. Huffing, the human pushed himself up with his hands and sat heavily on the bed. He pouted, jutting his lip out with a deep frown. It was too dang early to be awake.

Fenton glanced up at his other self, who looked wide awake and was studying him with a raised brow. The human crossed his arms, debating if he could flop back down for another five minutes. Then the ghost's lips turned up and he…..laughed.

Fenton's frown somehow deepened more and he glared.

Phantom held up his hands, his laughter quieting. Then he looked at Fenton. "Is this what I really look like in the morning?" His voice was almost fond. "We're really not a morning person."

The human's face softened at the tone. "Nah. We're not." Fenton rubbed his eyes, just managing to give his other half a subdued smile.

Then the alarm went off. Both boy's noses wrinkled and both reached to press the off button. Phantom's hand hit first with Fenton's slamming down on top a second later. The blaring sound ended.

"Man, I hate that thing." Both uttered with a groan.

In synch, both pulled their hand off the clock. Blue and green eyes met and both started laughing. Fenton really smiled, feeling more awake. He and Phantom kept doing that, talking at the same time and copying each other's actions. It was weird, that was for sure. But also really funny. It felt good too, like he and his ghost half were on the same page.

After a few moments, the laughter trickled out but Fenton kept smiling at his counterpart as he swung his legs over the bed and stood. "I'm gonna to go ahead and start getting ready. You…." He trailed off.

"I'll go get our hazmat suit." He pointed towards the door. "I was...uhhh….actually going to change into it."

"Why?" Fenton looked up and down the ghost, noticing he was in the same clothes as yesterday. "You can wear something else."

Phantom shrugged, looking sheepish. "Yeah but...I kinda like it though."

Fenton shrugged as well, deciding to drop the issue. They could puzzle that out later if it was important. With that last remake, the ghost flew out of the room. The human grabbed an outfit from his drawers and got dressed. About the time he finished, the ghost returned. Fenton studied his counterpart. He was again fully cad in the black hazmat with the collar, belt, boots, and gloves shining as white as his hair. At some point he had washed the makeup off clearly revealing the green undertone of his skin. He looked definitively ghostly. And to Fenton's pleasant surprise, that didn't revolt him, not in the slightest. If anything, the appearance, hazmat included, suited him. Yes, he looked very different from their normal human appearance. But...Danny Phantom was supposed to look like a ghost. And that was good.

Phantom noticed the look and raised a brow. "What?"

Fenton blushed at the attention. "The hazmat looks good."

The ghost furrowed his brow in confusion. "Thanks...I guess."

"Nah. I mean…uhhh….you looked like...well you, like our ghost half's supposed to." The human wrinkled his nose. "I..uhhh...guess that doesn't actually make sense."

His ghost half shook his head. "No. I get it. I do." He offered a kind smile. "And the hazmat feels pretty good too." He quirked a brow. "Which is weird considering how uncomfortable it was to put on before….uhh...going into the portal."

Fenton frowned. "I remember." He'd had to stuff it over his clothes, wrinkling them uncomfortably. The boots were slightly too big, the gloves clunky. He'd hated how the material rubbed against the raw skin on his hands and around his neck.

Phantom wiggled his fingers. "Yeah. It's not clunky at all. I can barely feel the material on my skin. It feels like….well...it's fitted to me perfectly."

"Huh." The human boy tilted his head, puzzling it out. "I guess...the portal did something to it. I mean, it made it change color too."

His ghost half hummed thoughtfully. "I guess."

"And….uhhh speaking of the portal…" Sudden uncertainty swirled in his gut. "What was up with it last night? I mean...I dreamed that you were looking at it and it was calling to us and...yeah."

Phantom's eyes lit up. "So you were dreaming with me."

Fenton blinked. "What?"

The ghost's hand rested over his chest. "I could...feel that you were there too. Following along with me." His eyes widened. "I called out to you and you responded."

The human's eyes also widened. He remembered that distantly. Looking through Phantom's eyes and being aware of it. "Yeah. It was...kinda like a lucid dream but...I couldn't actually direct what we were doing. But...you heard me?"

"It's more like, I can sense what you were feeling." His expression fell. "And the portal scared you."

"Yeah, it did scare me." That ominous feeling from the lab had returned but much stronger than before. On some level, he wanted to run away and being unable to was frightening but…. "I could hear the call too and….it was...comforting. Part of me wanted to go in too."

Phantom's eyes somehow widened even more, multiple emotions crossing his face. "That part's me, isn't it?" There was a hint of guilt in the statement. He shook his head. "I felt both things too. Like I wanted to run away from the portal but I was drawn to it too. I guess...we're feeling…." He trailed off.

"Different aspects of the same thing." Fenton offered. He could feel the wheels turning in his other half's head. How he was struggling to put the pieces together. "Because we're two parts of the same person."

"I guess…Yeah." Phantom swallowed. "Still...I don't know what to think of this."

Fenton walked to his other half, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. We'll figure it out together."

At the touch, the human felt his counterpart relax. "Yeah. And thanks." He smiled. "You need to keep getting ready for school though."

"Oh yeah. School." Fenton pouted slightly, earning a shake of the head from his ghost.

"Please. I'm stuck here and we're grounded. So Mom's definitely got a list of chores for me to do."

The human's eyes widened. "Dude. I am so sorry."

"It's fine. At least only one of us has to suffer through that." With that, the ghost ushered his other self out of the door of their room.

A few minutes later, after using the restroom and brushing his hair, Fenton was walking down the stairs with his ghost half following. He stopped in the living room, taking in the scene. Mom and Dad were eating, quietly talking to one another. His stomach flopped at seeing them. Part of him was still angry about the grounding. But he was guilty about sneaking out and worrying them. Pain pricked at his heart. He glanced back at Phantom who was looking down. He felt hurt by some of what Mom said as well. He knew she loved him, both of him, his ghost self included. But the way she talked about his ghostliness, the sad looks she kept giving Phantom…..

Jazz who sat in her usual spot, a book splayed out by her elbow, perked up as she noticed the two boys.

"Danny!" Jazz waved. "Good morning."

At least Jazz was happy to see them. "Morning, Jazz." "Good morning." Both Dannys responded.

Fenton walked towards the kitchen shelves. He grabbed a bowl and a spoon before opening the fridge and pulling out the milk. He turned back to the table and raised a brow.

"That's my chair." He said in mock annoyance, forcing down a smile.

Phantom, who was sitting in their regular seat, crossed his arms and wiggled his brows. "Is that so? I'm pretty sure you're already sitting in it."

Fenton pinned him with a serious look before plopping down beside him. The human poured his cereal and milk. He started eating quietly, ignoring his ghost's teasing look. But his mock annoyed expression disappeared as Phantom grabbed onto his hand, the one holding the spoon. A cold feeling poured into his hand, tingling spreading from the point of contact as his hands took on a bluish, semi transparent tint. His spoon fell through, literally though, his hand and Fenton started laughing hysterically.

Phantom grinned. "It's been a while since that happened." He started laughing as well.

The human Danny picked up his spoon, pointing it at his other self. "You poltergeist." He playfully elbowed the other boy. "Just imagine the pranks we could pull with that!"

"I know! I was thinking of this one prank we could pull on-"

Jazz interrupted. "So you two are getting along now!" Her eyes widened, quickly looking between the two. "I'm so happy you guys listened to me and actually talked!"

Both Danny's mouths snapped shut at the exclamation. Fenton tensed while Phantom swallowed. "Yes, we did." The human glared at his sister before side eyeing their parents.

Jazz noticed the angry look and glance towards the adults. She opened her mouth to respond but didn't get a chance before Mom cut in.

"Getting along…?" She looked between the two versions of her son. "Was there a….problem between you two?"

Two pairs of eyes widened with identical alarm and fixed on their mother. "No!"

The woman blinked before narrowing her eyes seriously. After a moment of tense silence, both Dannys started rambling.

"It's just...with everything.." "So much has happened and…" "Being split is confusing and.." "The merging didn't work and that was…" Fenton trailed off, looking like a deer in headlights.

There was no way he could tell his parents about his fears, his guilt, the ongoing problems with his ghost half. No way, nope, not at all. Not with...with... Wrong...unnatural...the pain, the guilt when Mom looked at their scar….the way she sometimes hesitated to look at Phantom, to touch him. She couldn't think in any way, shape, or form that he was uncomfortable with or afraid of being part ghost. That would be a wide open excuse to keep them separate or find a way to suppress their powers or-

Mom reached forward, gently putting a hand on Fenton's arm. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry. I should have realized sooner."

The human Danny blinked confusedly. "You...what?" She realized, she figured it out. He let it slip. How-

"Of course you're having trouble with being like this." The mom looked down, guilt flashing across her face.

"Like...this?" Phantom muttered, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Being split." Dad added, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Like you said before, you're one person, really one person." The man's expression fell. "You're not supposed to be split like this."

"You're having trouble with being divided, aren't you?" Mom shook her head, sadly looking between the two versions of her son. "I can't even imagine what this is like for you." Her expression turned soft, almost pitying. "This must be so confusing. No wonder you've been so stressed."

The human nervously glanced at his counterpart, who returned a subtly questioning look. Fenton swallowed, deciding to answer for both of them. "Yeah...uhh….being split's been….it's not been fun."

"Of course it hasn't." Mom replied understandingly. "Is that what you two ran off to talk about last night?"

Fenton's stomach flopped. "Yeah. We...uhhh….did talk about that."

Guilt churned but the human pushed it down. It was technically true. He and Phantom did talk about being split and a part of their issue was that they tried to merge only for it to fail. But that was only a portion of the real problem.

Mom nodded, accepting the statement. Then Dad pinned the two boys with a sorrowful but sincere look. "I promise we'll do anything we have to get you back to normal."

Fenton tensed slightly at the word, normal, but paradoxically Phantom relaxed. "I know Dad." The ghost rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks for promising that, again."

The human's brow raised. Again? Mom and Dad had said they would help them but Phantom sounded far more assured than Fenton thought was warrened. The human wanted to ask but his ghost noticed his confusion before Fenton could think of how to. A moment later, a cold gloved hand was gripping his, both clasped under the table. The ghost closed his eyes for a moment, reassurance passing through the connection before images filled Fenton's mind.

_A large hand gripping his shoulder. "__I promise, I will do anything I can to make sure you come out of this okay. Better than okay." Dad's hand squeezed tentatively. "It kills me to see you like this. So sad and anxious. I'd give anything to see you smile again."_

In a second, the whole memory of that conversation passed through Fenton's mind and lodged itself in his skull. The human fought not to gasp in shock. Woah, That was….Something like that had happened last night, the two of them passively sharing memories. But….this was intentional, for the first time not just sharing emotions or single images but a complete memory.

A sudden cough brought Fenton out of his thoughts. He looked up at the same time Phantom did and found his family members' eyes pinned on him.

"What was that?" Jazz questioned, curiously.

"We were...uhhh...sharing a memory." Fenton answered.

His sister nodded though confusion remained on her face. At the same time, Mom's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Phantom spoke up. "I was showing him something that happened on Monday, when I was here and Fenton was at school."

"You can do that?" Dad's eyes widened, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Apparently." Fenton muttered.

Phantom shrugged. "I mean, that's the first time we've done it on purpose but it's happened before. So I figured I'd try."

The adults and Jazz all nodded, taking in the answer with varying degrees of thoughtfulness, curiosity, and excitement.

"That's really good." Their sister smiled. "Sharing memories now will probably be a big help for once you refuse."

Fenton titled his head at the statement, giving the girl a puzzled look. "Why?"

Jazz looked between the two versions of her brother, also looking confused. "When you do figure out how to merge, won't you have two sets of memories from the last week at least?"

The human Danny's face paled at the question. "Oh. I uhhh…I" He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous and alarmed.

"I guess?" His ghost shrugged, wrinkling his nose. "I mean, I hope so. I don't want to only remember half of what happened after this."

"That would be really bad." Fenton then bit his lip. He shook his head, remembering the few times he'd been aware of and actively seeing out of both his human and his ghostly eyes at the same time. The confusing double images, double emotions, even double thoughts. "It'll be really confusing, if we do have two sets of memories though." The human's voice turned quiet as he glanced at his other half. A spike on unease touched his heart. As much as they'd talked about refusing, Fenton hadn't really thought about the specifics, beyond that he'd finally be whole. But...what was being split doing to his memories, to his very mind? How would the pieces, that were he and Phantom, reassemble into a whole person?

For a moment, that now familiar feeling of incompleteness flared. Something was broken, missing inside of him. But the feeling quickly washed away as Phantom's reassurance and understanding trickled into him and he knew his other self felt the same hole.

"Well, whatever does happen, you'll have us to help you." Jazz's quiet promise farther lifted the human Danny's spirits as he looked up.

Dad smiled at him kindly. "Yes son. We'll be here."

"Always." Mom nodded. "And like your father said, we will do everything we can to fix this."

The sincerity brought a smile to Fenton's face. "Thanks Mom and Dad."

After that, there was silence for a few moments as Fenton dug into his food again. He was still nervous from the previous questioning but hearing his family's conviction to help him eased some of his burden.

The conversation restarted, this time more light-hearted. It continued until Jazz stood up and put her bowl in the sink. A moment later, Fenton followed. The two human teens grabbed bags, put on shoes, and were soon walking towards the door.

Fenton waved. "Bye Mom. Bye Dad." He stopped for a moment, smiling at his other half. "Bye Danny." He stepped towards the ghost, speaking quietly enough to not be overheard. "Good luck with Mom and Dad."

"Yeah." Phantom muttered, looking down.

The human could feel his counterpart's nerves. He smiled, an attempt at comfort. "Everything's going to be okay." He took his phone from his pocket and offered it to the ghost. "Here. In case you wanna get up with Sam or Tucker."

The ghost's eyes widened before his face softened. "Thank you." He floated back. "You should get going. See you later Danny." He met the eyes of his sister who had been watching the exchange curiously. "See ya, Jazz."

"Later, little brother." The girl replied with a wave.

Moments later, the siblings were in Jazz's car and driving towards the school. It was quiet for a few minutes; the only sound was soft classical music from the public radio station.

Then Jazz spoke. "What was that about you running off last night?" Her brow wrinkled in a troubled expression.

Fenton suddenly paled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well we...ummm…went flying and..."

"Flying?" His sister asked skeptically.

"Yeah." The boy looked down,biting his lip. "I...I just wanted…." He trailed off.

"Danny." Jazz said pointedly as the silence grew. "What happened?"

"Phantom and me talked and kinda lost track of time and...Mom and Dad….."

"What about Mom and Dad?" She asked.

"They….uhhh…. Were there when we came back and were pretty mad and…..I'm...uhhh… grounded."

There was a beat of silence and Fenton's stomach flopped. He wondered what Jazz was thinking.

"Grounded?" She asked quietly. "You're grounded...Wait" Her eyes widened. "You snuck out!"

"I didn't sneak out." Fenton muttered, crossing his arms.

Jazz's jaw fell, disbelievingly. "You snuck out!"

"I didn't sneak out." The boy repeated. "We were planning on going for a short flight, like five minutes and coming right back."

"But you were gone long enough for our parents to notice and ground you!" Jazz shook her head. "You didn't even bring your phone, did you?"

"No, I-" Fenton started only to be cut off.

"You didn't even tell anyone!" She gripped the wheel more tightly.

"Jazz! Stop." The boy gritted his teeth.

"Do you have any idea how irresponsible that is?! Something could have happened to you."

Fenton rolled his eyes. "Oh my god, stop. You sound just like Mom."

His sister's mouth snapped shut, her eyes narrowing. "I do not."

"Yes, you do." The boy crossed his arms. "That's almost exactly what she said last night."

The girl opened and closed her mouth, clearly reaching for a response but none came. Fenton felt a hint of pride at silencing her. Then Jazz huffed. "If you'd told me where you were going, I could have covered for you."

This time, Fenton's jaw dropped. "You? Cover for me?"

"Yes, I could have kept Mom and Dad from worrying so much…" she grinned wickedly. "And chewed you out myself when you got back."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Oh, so that's what this is about."

Jazz shook her head. "But seriously, you should have told me you were going for a flight." The boy offered no response, crossing his arms. After a moment the girl sighed. "I mean it. I wouldn't have been mad or tried to stop you. And…" She bit her lip. "Well….I don't like that you missed curfew but…." Her voice softened. "You were doing what you needed to make peace with what's happened to you."

There was silence for a few moments as Fenton took in her words. His sister's ability to read into what he was thinking made him uncomfortable. But at the same time… she supported him, even though he did something some would consider questionable.

Finally the boy uncrossed his arms. "Well, I won't make the mistake of leaving without telling anyone again or leaving my phone. But….." he wrinkled his nose. "I'm not giving up flying."

Jazz raised a brow, pointedly side-eyeing him. Maybe she noticed the bitterness of the statement but as the silence drew out, clearly she chose not to question. Instead her face softened. "What's flying like?"

"What?" Fenton's eyes widened at the sudden question.

"Flying. What's it like?" She repeated. Her tone was innocently curious with a hint of wonder and keen interest. A slight smile crept onto the boy's face.

"It was awesome." He tilted his head back and forth thoughtfully. "It was really scary too but….it was amazing."

"Wow, that...That's great." Jazz smiled at him, sincerely. "I think it's really great that you're getting to experience something so..." She trailed off.

The boy raised a brow. "Weird, strange, unusual?"

Jazz nodded vigorously. "No, something so...special. No one else can fly like you can, see the world like you do." She smiled proudly. "You're so brave to even try."

Fenton blushed at the compliment. "I...well…"

"You are brave." She reassured. "And I'm so proud of you for talking to Phantom. You know that right?"

He answered teasingly. "Yes. You must be so proud of me for talking to myself."

His sister rolled her eyes. "I talked to your ghost half. " Her voice softened. "I know how much trouble you guys were having and how hard that conversation must have been."

Fenton's expression fell. "Yeah it was." His own sincerity surprised him. "It was hard but...it was...really good too. We talked about...a lot of stuff. And it really helped." He wrung his hands. "Phantom showed me what you two talked about. Thanks for talking some sense into me."

She raised a brow. "That's what other you said."

"I know….I remember." The boy said quietly, seriously.

A heavy silence fell as an intensely thoughtful expression crossed Jazz's face. She tapped the steering wheel with furrowed brow. Fenton's stomach flopped again, anxiety rising. He was just about to quietly ask what she was thinking, when Jazz fixed an eye on him. "You really are Phantom."

The human Danny's jaw dropped. "Yes. You know that." A hint of warriness and hurt entered his voice.

Jazz shook her head. "No, of course I know that. I mean…." She trailed off before sighing. "Seeing you and your ghost half apart is so….it's disorienting. Sometimes it's easy to forget."

Fenton frowned. What exactly was he supposed to say to that? What could he say? After a moment, he swallowed, deciding to be honest. "It's disorienting for me too."

His sister nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I'm sure it is. But you're managing. And….this, being split, is not forever."

"I guess it's not." The boy muttered, more to himself than his sister.

Sam and Tucker had said as much. So had Dad and Jazz. Fenton had even thought as much. He'd thought about refusing, coming back to being truly one person, his ghostliness and his humanity in sync. But...those imaginings were indistinct. Something that would happen in the future at an undetermined time. But imagining the specifics was harder. Having his powers back but not being afraid of them. Being, really being a ghost and not being terrified of himself…...Fenton could hardly imagine being that person but, after the breakthrough he and Phantom had had, the peace that linger between them, it felt more possible.

Jazz seemed to not notice the thoughtful pause, instead continuing as a fond smile covered her face. "All the same, I'm really happy you seem to be doing better despite everything. I know you're having a hard time but things are starting to turn around."

Fenton nodded, a smiling edging onto his face. "Yeah…..I think they are." The boy felt more confident with his sister's encouragement. But that smile soon fell.

"And I'm glad you were honest with Mom and Dad." Jazz continued. "About how being split is affecting you."

Guilt swelled in the boy's chest. "Yeah."

His sister raised an eyebrow, her voice quieting. "You know, if there's more- about the accident, about being a ghost, you can still be honest with them."

Wringing his hands, Fenton muttered an incoherent response.

"Danny?" Jazz questioned.

Fixing his eyes on his lap, the boy bit his lip. "I don't know if I can." He breathed the words so quietly, he was surprised when Jazz responded.

The girl frowned. "Danny, they're our parents. They'll listen if you just talk to them."

Fenton shook his head. "I'm...I'm not ready." Tentatively he looked back up, glancing at her. "I...I'm still struggling to process all...all this myself. I can't...I'm not...I can't talk to them yet."

That was the truth, at least partially. He and his ghost half had just gotten on good terms. He was just starting to let go of his fear of being a ghost. But Mom and Dad…..he remembered what they'd said about ghosts, how they'd...they'd chased him and shot him and….They were sorry, they really were but...the sorrow, the grief, the fear he kept seeing. They didn't think his ghost half was a monster but….wrong, unnatural…...he was still broken in their eyes. Fenton couldn't deal with that from them, not yet.

There was silence as the human Danny's thoughts fizzled away. After a moment, the boy glanced at his sister. The boy bit his lip. He expected her to push him about his conversation with Phantom or what he'd told their parents. But no questions came. Instead there was tense silence, expect for the soft sound of the radio, for the next few minutes.

Jazz turned into the school parking lot. She pulled into a parking space before putting the car in park and turning off the engine. As she took the key out of the ignition, Fenton grabbed the handle preparing to open the door.

His sister's voice stopped him. "Hold on a second Danny."

The boy turned around again, swallowing. "What is it?"

"If you can't be honest with them yet, can you at least talk to me?" She asked quietly.

"Jazz-" The boy started.

His sister shook her head. "You're still struggling with being a ghost, with this new part of yourself. And I know talking to your ghost half again is helping but...you don't have to do this alone. Let me help you."

Fenton's stomach flopped nervously. He wanted to say no, to refuse to talk. A large part of him was screaming to stay silent, to lock his feelings, his questions inside but….Sam's words from yesterday rang in his head. He didn't need to pretend to be okay for his friends and family. They didn't need him to act strong to help them cope. Acting like he had everything together had helped no one and just hurt himself. He looked in his sister's understanding eyes. She knew, she already knew he was struggling and had never judged him. He could count on her to continue.

"Danny?" She tentatively said.

The sound of his name got the boy's attention. "Okay. Yes." He nodded. "I...Thank you. For helping me. I'll...take you up on that."

"That's a promise that you'll talk to me?" Jazz asked.

"Yes." Fenton offered another nodd. "I will."

His sister pinned him with a serious stare, assessing his sincerity. After a moment, her expression softened. "Alright." She glanced out at the school. "We should head inside unless….." She looked back at him. "You have something else to say."

The boy shook his head. "No. I'm okay...for now." He tried not to frown. He had a feeling...there would be things to talk about. Mom and Dad, the weirdness with the portal, his changing feelings about being a ghost. But...well, those would likely be long conversations. Right now, he had school.


	25. Chapter 25

Phantom bit his lip. This was getting….awkward. Five minutes ago, Jazz and Fenton had left for school. Now he was sitting at the table and watching while his parents finished their breakfast. Their conversation had lulled to a stop and the ghost felt like something of an intruder. Not that he didn't belong but usually he'd be on his way to school right now. Mom and Dad would finish their meal, just the two of them. Maybe they discussed their plans for the day or talked about...whatever the two of them talked about when they were alone. But Phantom was here and…. He glanced to the side, towards the stairs. He could get up and do something but… that would be rude, though, wouldn't it? Yes, he normally wasn't here right now but he didn't want them to think that he didn't want to be around them. Although...

Dad standing up to take his bowl to the sink got the ghost's attention. Figuring breakfast was over, he floated out of his chair and towards the stairs.

Mom held up a hand. "Wait."

Phantom paused at the serious tone. "Yes?"

"Before you do anything else, I have chores for you." The woman frowned. The ghost swallowed. True to his suspicions, Mom did have a list of things for him to do today. She continued. "You need to unload and load the dishwasher, dust the living room, and vacuum."

The boy nodded. "Okay." Some of the tension in his shoulders lessened. That didn't sound too bad.

"I want every room vacuumed."

Phantom's frown deepened. He'd thought too soon. "Every room?"

"Yes, every room." Mom crossed her arms.

"Except the lab!" Dad cut in.

"Except the lab." Mom agreed with a nod. "But you need to vacuum the rest of the house."

"But….the whole house?" The ghost whined.

"Yes. The whole house." She pointed. "And do not do it half way, Daniel. Get under the furniture, pick up clutter in the floor, vacuum under the rugs too."

"But-" The boy started, almost begging with wide eyes.

"I'm sure we can find something else if that's not enough. All the closets need to be reorganized, your laundry that has been on the bathroom floor needs to be washed, you could scrub the toilets..." Mom said, just pointedly enough to show she was serious.

Phantom's mouth snapped shut. "No. I'll...I'll do it."

At the stuttering, Mom's expression softened. "You still have your phone. You can listen to music while you work."

Dad then cut in. "And you can watch TV once you're finished.

"Okay." The ghost's shoulders remained low, a frown still planted on his face. He floated towards the dishwasher. "I'll get started then."

His mother stood up. "Alright then, sweetie." She put her dishes in the sink. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

Giving a small wave, Phantom watched his parents walk through the door to the basement and close it. Once they were out of earshot, he groaned and put his head in his hands. Why...just...why? Frustration boiled through him. Stupid chores. Stupid grounding. Why couldn't he just have brought his phone last night? Or just not lose track of time?

With an annoyed sigh, the boy lifted his head and shook it. Still huffing, he floated to the couch, where he'd left in headphones to charge before he went to get his suit this morning. After setting up the phone to play some music, the ghost boy put the headphones in and started doing his chores.

Bobbing his head, Phantom dried and put away the dishes. It was a flurry of motion, putting serving utensils, pots, pans, and plates in their places. All the while he hummed and swayed to the music. The ghost spun around to put silverware in the drawer before closing it with a clatter. He grabbed another dish towel and whipped some stray water droplets from the ceramic plate in his hands. A circular motion and the plate was dry. He stretched slightly to put it in the cabinet above the dishwasher. With the constant motion and the pleasing music, Phantom got lost in the action. Before he even noticed, he was whipping the last dish and easily placing it in the cupboard with the others. Closing the door, he looked down at the dishwasher. Huh, he was done. That wasn't so bad…..

He blinked, looking slightly up at the stack of plates behind the glass and wood door. That was the highest shelf. He normally had to stretch into his tippy toes to reach it. But he'd barely exerted himself. Phantom glanced down again. He was floating, as always but slightly higher. He must have floated high enough to reach without noticing. The ghost lowered himself slightly and turned around. It was surprising; he was comfortable enough with the floating to just do it without thought. He moved up and down in the air just as naturally as he could walk. It was still weird but actually...good that he could use that power so comfortably.

With that thought, Phantom turned his attention back to the chores after putting the dishes from breakfast in the dishwasher. Up next, dusting the living room. He grabbed the duster from the closet and got started. More head bobbing, swaying, and humming occupied him as he dusted the end tables, the coffee table, the book cases. He floated up and dusted around the knick knacks on top of the shelves. It was nice, not having to get the stepping stool to reach up here. With the good music motivating him, Phantom finished dusting soon enough. He put the duster away and turned his attention to the last chore. Vacuuming.

The more pleasant expression on the ghost's face fell. The other chores weren't all the bad but...he hated vacuuming. The machine was heavy and cumbersome, a pain to drag around the house and carry up and down the stairs. It was noisy and the cord inevitably got in the way. And it was tiring. Something about the exertion always got him so sweaty.

Huffing, Phantom floated up the stairs and dragged the vacuum cleaner out of the laundry room on the second floor. Pulling the hose and attachments out of the room, he attached the parts. Then, plugging in the cord, he flipped the power switch. The device immediately started whining. Then he pressed the handle and it started roaring. Phantom groaned again, rubbing his head. Stupid, loud machine. He turned up the music in an effort to drown out the grating sound. It only worked partially.

Muttering annoyedly to himself, the ghost started vacuuming down the hallway. He passed over one of the rugs, cursing as the vacuum got caught in one of the corners. With a huff, he turned off the suction and pulled the fabric out of the bottom. Standing up, he turned the vacuum back on. "Stupid rug! Why does it always do that?" He complained through gritted teeth.

He continued, lifting the rugs and vacuuming under. Inside his room, Jazz's room, the guest bedroom. He lifted objects off the floor and placed them on the bed and other furniture. He barely managed to stop the vacuum from sucking up one of his jackets that was stuffed under his bed. The ghost grumbled as the cord pulled out of the wall after he stretched the cord too far. But he continued, cleaning every room on the second floor.

Finally, Phantom stopped at the top of the stairs. He'd turned the machine off, wrapped up the cord. And now he paused a moment before wrestling the cumbersome beast downstairs. He stretched, loosening his arms…..which normally would be tired by now. With a confused frown, the ghost wiped his forehead. Normally he'd be kinda sweating too. Huh…..actually he wasn't feeling any of the stain, the tiredness in his muscles he'd normally feel. Interesting….then again, he was pretty sure ghosts didn't have muscles like humans did. And why would ghosts sweat when they don't get tired in the same way a human does? Then again...this was still all so strange.

Pushing away that thought, Phantom picked up the vacuum and carried it down the stairs. Okay...that was easier than normal too. He looked down at the machine. Maybe he transferred some of his weightlessness to it, like he did to Fenton last night. Reaching the foot of the stairs, he deliberately placed his feet on the floor and let gravity reengage. He gasped, startled as the vacuum instantly felt heavier. Yep, that was definitely it.

Again, the ghost pulled the vacuum along the floor. He unwound the cord and plugged it in. More vacuuming. He started in the living room, again moving magazines, books, papers, a laundry basket full of clothes to be folded, off of the floor. He passed easily over the open area and between the furniture. He finished passing over every inch of floor he could reach without moving any furniture. He turned off the machine and put his hands on his hips, studying the armchair in front of him. He moved to push it out of the way to vacuum the floor it was currently occupying.

Then an idea crossed his mind. Could he maybe vacuum under it without moving the chair? He crouched down, finding nothing underneath. He could proceed. With a small smile, he grabbed the device again and turned it on. Phantom focused on his core, on the cold tingly feeling of intangibility. As his hand became translucent with a bluish tint, he pushed the feeling out. Like when he rescued Sam, when he pulled Fenton through the changing room door at Hot Topic. The color spread through the machine he was touching, from the handle, through the hose, to the base of the machine. It was turning intangible. It was….

The roaring of the vacuum stopped. Frowning, Phantom squeezed the handle more tightly. (Interestingly, he could still feel it below his palm as if he and the machine were both untouchable to the rest of the world together.) Nothing happened. Letting go, he tried again. The intangibility spread and the noise stopped. So….it couldn't work when it was intangible.

The boy removed his hand and crossed his arms. Well, if he couldn't turn the vacuum intangible to pass it through the chair, then maybe… He turned the chair intangible. The wavy, bluish outline took the object's place and the ghost pushed the vacuum through. It continued roaring, moving back and forth freely.

"Yes! It worked." Phantom exclaimed, a grin planting itself on his face.

"What are you doing?" His mom's voice rang out behind him.

Startled, his head whipped up to find the woman standing at the top of the stairs to the lab. He'd been so absorbed in his problem solving that he hadn't heard her come up the stairs. "Umm….vacuuming?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.

Mom pinned him with a skeptical look and pointed. "Are you turning my chair intangible to...vacuum under it?"

The ghost looked down at the intangible piece of furniture, which he was still touching. He pulled the machine out from the space and removed his hand. The forest green coloration of the chair returned as it became solid. Phantom let go of the handle and the roar lessened into a whine. The ghost boy rubbed the back of his neck. "Uhhh...yeah."

Mom blinked, part confused, part skeptical, part disapproving. "You can just move the chair, sweetie."

The boy shrugged, trying to sound casual. "Or I could just turn it intangible and push the vacuum through it."

His mother blinked again, her mouth opening and closing. Complex emotions flashed through her eyes but she mainly looked uncomfortable, thrown off kilter. She looked like she wanted to argue but had no idea how to even respond. Her lip tightened in something that could be disapproval. She then shook her head. "Why don't you stop vacuuming for now and come down to the lab with me?"

"Uhh…" Phantom stiffened, unsure what to make of the request. Was she trying to distract him, after being so thrown off by his display of ghost powers? Or was that a genuine request? She had come up the stairs for some reason.

Mom's expression softened. "We never did finish getting readings from you. If you wouldn't mind, your father and I want to finish them today."

"But….I'm not done." His core pulsed nervously as he looked down at the vacuum.

"You can finish later." She said flatly.

"But-"

"I promise, this will not take long, Danny. And like last time, we will tell you everything we're doing and will stop if you feel uncomfortable at all." Mom reassured sincerely.

Phantom sighed. "Alright."

After turning off the vacuum, the ghost deliberately put his feet on the floor. He followed his mother down the stairs. Once at the foot, he paused, eyes flitting around the room. The slightly flickering fluorescent lights, the sterile metal tables, the partly assembled ghost containment unit. He bit his lip, nervously. He didn't want to be down here, not after last time.

"Danny-boy!" Dad's excited exclamation cut through his souring mood. "You're gonna help your folks out for a bit, aren't ya?"

At his father's enthusiasm, Phantom smiled despite his anxiety. "Yeah." He walked forward to stand across from the man who was sitting at one of the tables with papers in front of him.

Phantom titled his head, taking in the familiar design. "The ghost catcher?"

Dad nodded. "Yep. I'm looking over the blueprints again." He tapped his chin. "I've been thinking about how to reverse the polarity of the field."

The ghost raised a brow. "What does that mean?"

Mom walked up beside him. "Instead of causing real world matter and ectoplasm to repeal each other, the two would be attracted."

Phantom blinked, wrinkling his nose in confusion. "Like magnets?"

"Actually yes." Mom affirmed. "With magnets, like poles will repel each other, like two north or two south poles. But unlike poles will attract each other, like how a north and a south pole would be drawn together."

The boy nodded. Then his eyes widened as realization dawned. "Wait...does that mean we'll be able to merge?"

"Once we figure out how to alter the ghost catcher." Dad answered with a confident smile.

But Mom's expression was more subdued, more cautious. "We have to figure out how to eliminate the residual particles first. And there may be other considerations, like the memory question that was brought up this morning."

"Oh." The ghost's hopeful smile fell and he glanced down.

After a pause, there was a feminine sigh in front of him. "Sweetie." The boy looked up, meeting his mother's kind eyes. "We will figure this out."

"Yep, we're on it." Dad stood up and walked around the table. He patted the ghost version of his son on the back. "Let's go ahead and get started on collecting that data."

Nervousness surged into Phantom again. He tried to smile anyway, casually waving off the comment. "Yeah. Yeah."

Mom stepped away, walking back towards another table. She pulled out a stool, the same one she'd had him sit on before. "Come here, Danny." She patted the seat, motioning him to sit down.

The boy did so, wiggling slightly as he settled down. He watched Mom busily gather and arrange supplies. After grabbing a notebook and flipping it open, she turned to him. "We're going to continue where we left off last time, after we finished with the samples." The woman picked up the stethoscope and placed it around her neck. She held up the circular metal end. "We'll start with this if that's alright with you."

The boy raised a brow, looking between it and his own chest. "What are you gonna use it for?" He wrung his hands. "I mean, I know what you'd normally listen for but…. I….uhhh..I ...don't really have either right now."

"Danny, sweetie." Mom held up her hands, seemingly to stop the ramble. But her paled face and wide eyes just increased his anxiety.

Phantom shook his head and waved his hands. His speech quickened. "Well, technically, I guess...I guess I do have those..those...ya know." The ghost tilted his head back and forth, biting his lip. "I mean I do but not…"

He motioned up and down his body. Somehow Mom's eyes were even wider. The boy glanced at his father, who looked far too uncomfortable. He hated that look and wanted it to go away, for the mood of lighten. "I guess you could say I...uhh…"

The shadow of a heart beat pounded in his chest and part of his mind screamed to stop talking. But with an attempt at joking , the words came out. "I left my heart in my other body."

Mom's eyes just about popped out of her skull and Dad made a noise that could be a choke or could be a laugh. Phantom's own eyes widened. His hand slammed over his mouth. "Oh my god, I can't believe you just said that."

His eyes flashed brighter and the brief image of his desk in English class flashed through the boy's mind. At once he felt stupid. The 'part of his mind' that had been screaming to stop was literally Fenton, who was seeing and feeling this too, while also sitting in class. There was a spike of panic at the thought.

"I think we managed to only say that out of one mouth." Phantom's body spoke the words but neither could tell if Fenton or Phantom said them. But...may it had been both. Actually, probably both deciding to speak at the same time out of the same mouth.

"This is so confusing...You're telling me." Phantom's head shook. "No. Stop. We need to stop." He glanced up at his parents who were looking at him (them?) like he'd grown another head. Didn't they technically have two heads? No. Stop that. Another head shake. "I'm Phantom right now. I'm in the lab with Mom and Dad. Just here with them." A deep breath with illusionary lungs. The ghost half, just the ghost half, mentally centered himself. "You're Fenton. You're at school, in English class." A Pause. A greenish tongue licked pale lips. "I'm in English-" Phantom put his head in his hands. "Stop using my mouth." He muttered. More loudly. "We need to be two, right now. Two not….one but not."

Still looking down, Phantom took several more breaths. He pushed the nervousness down and away, the intense emotion that had drawn him and Fenton together. Focus. The metal stool under him, the chill of the room, the hum of electronics. He needed to be here, all here, present. In just the one body, not split between two. (Except he was split between two. He was split into a ghost half and a human half. And he did not want to just be Phantom. He wanted to be Fenton and Phantom at the same time, just Danny. He wanted to be whole.) No. The ghost shook his head. Right now he couldn't think about that. He needed to just be one half now, just here. Eventually, they'd re-fuse and he wouldn't have to worry about this but now he was just Phantom. Another breath. Agreement, Assurance from his other half. He could feel the human retreat with a sheepish apology. Softly, a mental door swung closed, separating him and Fenton.

Phantom stayed like that for a few moments, his head in his hands. It was silent and the lack of sound was grating. But the ghost could feel the eyes on him, almost sensing the questioning and fearful looks.

"Danny?" Mom's quiet voice asked tentatively.

Struggling, the ghost boy lifted his head. It, with his whole body, felt so heavy. "I'm just…." He tensed, cutting himself off. I'm just Phantom, he'd wanted to say. He wasn't really their Danny but half of him. But...Mom's eyes were wide, almost fearful. She looked like she was shaking. And Dad…..Dad was silent, all the previous joy and excitement gone from his eyes. Both his parents looked stricken, like they just saw something deeply unsettling.

His core clenched painfully at the sight. They had seen and heard all of that. Talking about himself in third person (at least from their perceptive). Arguing, holding a literal conversation with himself. He must look like he was insane.

"I'm fine." Phantom forced the words out.

Mom opened and closed her mouth. Her face hardened slightly, like she might want to argue.

Then Dad cut in, uncharacteristically quiet. "What was that son?"

"Nothing." The boy spit out.

Mom frowned, deeply troubled. Both parents quickly looked between each other. The woman swallowed. "Is that what you wrote about? You and your other half, seeing out of each other's eyes." She said slowly, tentatively like the words themselves pained her.

Phantom wrapped his arms around himself. "Yeah." He nodded, deciding to be honest. Or at least honest enough for them to forget about this and move on. "We...uhh...we can sometimes speak out of each other's mouths too." He flinched; that sounded disturbing. "Or...speak as one." He wrung his hands. "I was nervous and it's more likely to happen if there's strong emotions and we're not together."

There was another pause as Mom studied him. The ghost struggled to decipher her expression. Then the woman rubbed her forehead. "Your counterpart's at school. In English class, you said. If that happens, there. If other people see…." Alarmed, she looked at her husband. "Do we need to pull the other Danny out of school until we can fix this?"

"No." Phantom spit out. "Don't, please."

Mom crossed her arms but her expression was pitying. "Sweetie. We don't want to but what if you get in trouble at school or someone sees?"

What if someone sees...what a freak you are? The boy knew that wasn't what she meant but the thought passed his mind anyway. His core clenched but he pushed the thought away.

Phantom swallowed. "Fenton's not gonna get in trouble. And….no one will see anything. The other me was trying to not physically react where he is. That's why you guys even saw everything from this end, which probably made the reaction worse."

Mom furrowed her brow, studying him thoughtfully. "Sweetie…." Her voice hitched up, as if she was going to argue.

The boy's eyes widened, almost beggingly. "We're already grounded. And I...I can barely leave the house." His lips turned down in a frown. "If you take Fenton out of school…." The boy stopped. He wanted to say, after all the insanity that had been his life (afterlife?) since the accident, not being able to go to school and see his friends that would take away his last bit of normalcy. But he couldn't force out the words. It felt too honest, too desperate.

He swallowed, changing tactics. "We'll fall behind." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We already missed so much this year and it's already been hard to keep up. And then being split's made it harder to concentrate on my school work." The words were true, though not his real reason to convince Mom and Dad who both still looked unsure. The boy looked between them and blinked up at them innocently, hoping the last words would convince them. "And you don't want me to fall behind right."

There was a pause as the adults looked at each other, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Mom sighed. "Alright. We won't pull your counterpart out of school. "

"But if anything does happen, you need to tell us." Dad then said, seriously but kindly.

Phantom nodded. "Okay. We will."

Mom also nodded, seemingly accepting the statement. Then Dad took a step forward. "Are you okay to get started again, son?"

The ghost's eyes nervously flittered to the stethoscope around his mother's neck again. "Uh...I guess. Yeah." He bit his lip. "But still...uhh...what exactly are….you listening for?"

Mom pulled up a chair and sat down. "After last time, I rethought some things and want to listen to your core."

The boy tilted his head questioningly. "My core?"

"Yes." The woman affirmed. "Do you know what that is?"

"I think so." Phantom placed a hand over his chest. "It's right here. I think… it's where my powers come from."

Dad's brow furrowed questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"My core's like this...ball of cold energy in my chest. And I can kinda mentally draw power from it. Like if I do this." Concentrating, he summoned a small ectoblast into his hand.

"Is that ectoenergy?" Dad's eyes lit up and the enthusiasm was infections. Lips turning up into a smile, Phantom coaxed more energy from his core and the flame-like neon green light grew. His father also smiled and turned to the other adult. "Madds, will you look at that?"

The woman's face remained neutral. "You did that on Sunday night, didn't you?"

"Yeah." The boy's memory returned to the conversation just after he'd been eavesdropping, the brief fear that had flashed in his parents' eyes at the sudden display of power. His light dimmed. "I didn't mean to do it then but...I can control it now...or at least do it on purpose." He jutted his lip out in a slightly sad pout.

"That's good, son." Dad gave what was almost a proud smile. His eyes fixed on the energy, the green light reflecting off his eyes and he pointed at the boy's hands. "What does it feel like?"

Phantom blinked, looking down at his hands. "It's kinda like...a cold flame, if that makes any sense." He drew more energy into his hand again. "I mean, it flickers like fire but it's cold, really cold. But...it doesn't hurt me." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Actually, it's kinda nice, like going in a pool on a hot day."

"Wow." Dad's voice was tinted with awe. His hands moved forward. "Can I feel it?"

The ghost's eyes widened in surprise at the request but before he could agree, Mom interjected.

"Jack." She tapped the man's arm pointedly. "That's not…" She looked at the ectoenergy warily. "That's not a good idea."

"Oh." Dad lowered his hands, suddenly frowning. "Maybe not."

Pain pricked the ghost's core from the sharpness of her tone. He could hear the unspoken rebuke. 'Jack, don't touch that. It's dangerous.' As if he would ever hurt them. As if he was dangerous. The boy shook his head. No, she didn't mean it like that. He frowned, looking at his own hands. And besides...he'd seen the damage he'd done to those trees with this power. He very well could hurt someone, even without meaning to.

Mom coughed. "How about we get back to what we were doing?"

Phantom swallowed. "Alright."

Nodding, Mom pulled her chair closer. She moved the ear pieces of the stethoscope into her ear and held up the round end. Slowly she placed the circular metal piece onto his chest. There was silence for about thirty seconds as she listened. Her face scrunched up in thought, becoming increasingly bewildered. The woman pursued her lips and removed the pieces from her ears. "Well, I hear something." She wrinkled her nose. "It is rhythmic but doesn't sound like a heartbeat."

"Huh." Phantom hummed thoughtfully. He eyed the medical device. "Can I listen?"

With a raised brow, Mom handed over the stethoscope. Ghost Danny positioned the pieces in his ears and the head over his core. With furrowed brow, he listened. It was rhythmic, like Mom said, and didn't sound like a heart. But neither of those were surprising; he could feel the regular pulse in his chest. But the noise? There was an almost liquid churning and a high pitched electric buzz. He pulled the earpieces out. "It sounds like….a mix between the washing machine and that buzz that a light bulb makes."

"Really?" Dad held out his hand, reaching for the stethoscope. "Give it here, son."

Phantom did as he was asked, handing over the device. Dad then listened for half a minute, his eyes widening in awe. "So that's what a ghost core sounds like. I wonder…" He trailed off, eyes narrowing in concentration. He glanced at his watch before mouthing something. Was he...counting? An awkward minute of silence passed before the man moved the metal piece off of Phantom's chest. He turned to the other adult. "Maddie, do we have the other heart rate numbers we measured?"

Mom gave him a puzzled look before, flipping through the notebook. "Right here."

She passed it to Dad, who looked over the page before writing something down. "Look at this." Dad pointed. The woman's eyes lit up at whatever she was seeing.

The ghost looked between the two, somewhat warily. "What is it?" He ventured.

Mom looked up. "Your dad counted your...well core-rate, I suppose." She shook her head. "The number of beats per minute." She frowned. "Beats may not be the right word."

"Beats?" Phantom wrinkled his brow. "You mean….the number of times it...pulses I guess….per minute."

"Pulses! That's it." Dad pointed. He turned the notebook around. "Look at those numbers, Danno! Isn't it amazing?"

The boy squinted, reading the small writing. "They're just numbers…."

"Let me explain sweetie." She pointed. "This is your heart rate in…. human form before going through the ghost catcher. This number is from the other Danny. And this." She tapped the number insistently. "Is from just now."

"Okay?" He still wasn't getting it.

Mom shook her head. "Compare the numbers, Danny."

"Well….Fenton's rates the highest, I guess. And mine's the lowest? And before the ghost catcher's in between."

"Exactly." Dad beamed.

Mom pinned the man with a serious look, before turning back to Phantom. She gently explained. "The rate before the ghost catcher is exactly between the other two rates."

The ghost blinked, looking at the numbers again. He quickly did some mental math. "Huh...it is." He frowned. "I still don't get what's so cool about that."

Dad held up his hands. "It means your core and heart were beating to the same rhythm before the ghost catcher."

The woman side-eyed her husband before correcting. "It suggests that. But if that was the case, that would also show how synchized your two forms were."

Phantom nodded skeptically. "I guess it would….." He then raised a brow, looking at Dad. "But we don't actually know that?" The boy fought not to frown. Sadly, he didn't really know how his ghost and human forms fit together when all of him was in one body. Before, he'd been too afraid of his ghostliness to really investigate what was happening to him. He was learning now, getting used to being a ghost but….he still didn't really know.

"Well...no." Dad tilted his head. "But that's why we're getting all the data we can now."

"Yes." Mom agreed. "How about we keep going?"

"Yeah." Phantom affirmed.

The ghost and his parents continued.

Note:

Thanks for reading! As always, I am so grateful for all the support I've received in writing this story. I love hearing your thoughts which always encourage me so much.  
I also wanted to let everyone know, I'm taking a break from this story to write some oneshots for Ectober. So far, I'm planning a tie-in story to Life and Death is all Perspective, a second part to Missing Persons, and another part of It was an accident, I swear. Hopefully all of those will happen before the end of October. But come November, I'll be back to this story!


	26. Chapter 26

Note: I'm back with an update, in partial celebration of my birthday which was yesterday! It took a bit to get my groove back after taking a break from this story but I think I managed to find it again. Anyway, enjoy and feel free to tell me what you think at the end!

"Today, we will begin our introduction to Animal Farm." Mr. Lancer began. "If you look at the first page of your packet…."

The words barely perforated Fenton's perception as nonsensical nervousness suddenly rose in him. A flash of metal floor and tables, the neon green of the portal, Mom and Dad's faces. Oh, not nonsensical then. The images began distant and fuzzy but soon gained clarity.

Phantom's far away words rang in Fenton's head. "What are you gonna use it for? I mean, I know what you'd normally listen for but…. I….uhhh..I ... don't really have either right now."

More distant words grew closer, the speech quickening. "Well, technically, I guess...I guess I do have those…." Those words….Phantom was saying those words in the lab but Fenton felt them like he was the one speaking (But he was Phantom and Phantom was him so wasn't he….?).

"I mean I do but not…" Mom's wide eyed face flashed through his vision, her nervousness and discomfort screaming at him. And Dad's silence, the haunted look in his eyes, stabbed at the human's heart. "I guess you could say I...uhh…"

Fenton's heart pounded with anxiety. He felt so close, so close to his other self despite the distance. That panic, that nervousness the ghost was feeling….Fenton wanted to give into it so badly. But...but with the distance, the human realized where this was going, what his ghost was trying to do. In his head, he screamed at his other half to stop talking. But all the same…..

"You could say...I left my heart in my other body."

The human gasped in shock and disbelief at the statement. He reached out. Fenton didn't know how he did it, how he moved Phantom's hand and spoke through Phantom's mouth from across town (but the ghost's hand is his hand, the ghost's mouth his mouth)…. "Oh my god. I can't believe you said that."

The line, the distinction between the two blurred but not in the right way. Fenton fought to stay present, to not speak in English class, to not let anyone see the glow of his eyes. Luckily, he was in the back of the class and could close his eyes, tuning out the lesson for the time being.

"I think we managed to only say that out of one mouth." Fenton said, or maybe Phantom, or maybe both, spoke out of the ghost's mouth.

"This is so confusing...You're telling me." Phantom's head shook. "No. Stop. We need to stop." Through the ghost's eyes, Fenton watched his parents stare with wide, almost fearful eyes. Like he'd grown another head. Didn't they technically have two heads?

No. Stop that. Another head shake. "I'm Phantom right now. I'm in the lab with Mom and Dad. Just here with them."

A deep breath with illusionary lungs. The ghost half subtly withdrew from the human, centering himself. "You're Fenton. You're at school, in English class."

Back in English, the human shook his head. Yes, that's right. He tries to think it, to direct the thought at Phantom but... "I'm in English-"

"Stop using my mouth." Phantom, just the ghost, muttered, putting his hands on his head.

Somehow, across town, Fenton can feel the sensation of hands on his head. No, wait….His ungloved hands were on his head. But still….a double sensation.

"We need to be two, right now. Two not….one but not." Outloud, Phantom said the words while mentally poking his counterpart.

Fenton took several breaths with Phantom. His thoughts ran in sync, in parallel too. He needed to be just Fenton, just in English class, just in his human body. But he wanted to be both, unified with his ghostly self. Another head shake and Phantom's thoughts whispered to him. Right now he couldn't think about that. He needed to just be one half now, just here. Eventually, they'd re-fuse and he wouldn't have to worry about this but now he was just Phantom (just Fenton). Another breath. Yes, Fenton agreed, assuring his other half.

_Sorry for cutting in._ Fenton apologized, remembering Mom and Dad's startled faces. This time he managed to only speak to his ghost, the words exiting neither mouth. The human mentally retreated, pulling away. A mental door closed and Fenton sighed, noticing the dimming neon green light leaking through his eyelids. Tentatively he blinked, opening his eyes. To his relief, no one was staring at him. No one noticed the weirdness.

A soft cough came from beside him and a pencil poked his arm. Fenton startled, looking to the side. His eyes met Sam's, her eyebrow raised questioningly. Well….. It looks like he thought too soon that no one noticed.

The boy shrugged, shaking his head. In response, the goth pinned him with a skeptical look, as if to say 'Seriously?'

Fenton shook his head again and mouthed. "I'll tell you later."

Sam rose her brow before nodding. She leaned back, seemingly dropping the subject.

Fenton turned his attention back to the lecture….or he tried to. What just happened rang in his head, and not just for the confusion of that interaction with Phantom. He'd seen out the ghost's eyes before, even communicated with him over distance; But talking out of his…..other mouth (Fenton shivers at the thought) and moving his other body like that was weird, so weird, bizarre, and a little disturbing. But considering how he and Phantom had involuntarily copied each other's movements and words before, that made logical sense, in a strange way.

No, the very worrying part was….Mom and Dad saw. They saw, they heard all of that. What did that look like to them? What would they think about what happened, about him? Worry balled in Fenton's gut, wondering at their reaction. But…..

The boy sighed. It was fine. He was fine. They were fine. Phantom….Phantom was there, still in the lab and could explain. He could mitigate their reaction and everything would be okay.

His heart fluttered with anxiety anyway. He balled his fist, his nails pressing into his palm and focusing on the sensation. He was here, at school. And he was safe. He was fine. Everything was okay. He took another deliberate breath in, lungs inflating before slowly exhaling. He looked down at the paper and read the paragraph in front of him. Another breath and Fenton could feel his heart rate slowing. Anxiety pushed down, the boy turned his attention back to the lecture.

* * *

The rest of English class passed without consequence and now the trio of friends were sitting at one of the picnic tables outside at the human Danny's suggestion.

The boy got a few bits in before Sam asked. "So….in English, what was up with you?"

Tucker blinked before giving the goth a puzzled look. "Wait...what happened?"

Instead of answering the technogeek directly, the girl addressed Fenton. "You had that far away look in your eyes, like you weren't really here. Then your eyes started glowing."

The boy paled. He looked side-to-side nervously. "Did anyone else see?"

Somehow, he knew that nervousness wasn't just his own worries of being found out but….a memory of Mom's worried face, asking if he needed to be pulled out of school, what if someone sees (what a freak you are). Fenton shivered at the thought, though a measure of surprise entered him at recognizing Phantom's memory.

"No one saw." Sam answered comfortingly. "We were in the back and you closed your eyes before anyone else saw them glowing."

"But-" Fenton started.

"It's fine, I promise." The goth reassured. "But seriously, what happened?"

Worry eased, the human Danny huffed. "Well, I guess you're right. I wasn't really there." The boy put his head in his hands. "I think….I managed to traumatize my parents."

Tucker frowned, concerned confusion crossing his face. " Dude, what?"

Fenton grumbled, embarrassment rising at the memory. "Other me was in the lab with Mom and Dad. They were going to finish getting samples from Phantom, since we didn't finish on Monday. So Mom pulled out the stethoscope and he said….he said I left my heart in my other body."

His technogeek friend snorted. "Really? You said that?"

The human Danny blushed. "In front of Mom and Dad. I...he said that in front of them. And….it gets worse." He swallowed. "I slammed his hand over his mouth. And said I can't believe you said that."

Sam's brow furrowed. "No you didn't. I was right beside you."

Fenton bit his lip. "It was...I used my other mouth."

"Your other…" Tucker's eyes lit up in realization. "Oh, like at lunch on Monday, when Phantom talked to us."

Sam hummed in consideration. "So you can do it from the other direction?"

The human Danny nodded.

His technogeek friend grinned. "That's so cool."

Fenton shook his head. "But we did it in front of Mom and Dad! Mom and Dad! We...we must have looked crazy to them. Completely insane! We were having a conversation out loud but only with one mouth. And talking about ourselves in third person." The boy ran his fingers through his hair. "Granted, me and Phantom keep doing that because we're freaking stuck as two people but also not, since we're still the same person. It's just…" He made a vaguely frustrated noise. "Things are good with both of us again, finally. But then we got freaking grounded for 'sneaking out' and the thing in the lab happened. And I have no idea how they reacted." Fenton put his hands up. "Well...I mean, I got glimpses of it from Phantom's memories but I still don't know what happened or what will happen or what Mom and Dad really think about this."

His rant petered out, leaving his friends studying him with thoughtful expressions.

Tucker sighed. "Man, I'm sorry any of that happened to you. I know dealing with all this sucks." He offered a slight smile. "But I'm really happy things are going better with you and your ghost half."

Sam nodded. "So you and the other Danny did talk?"

"Yeah. We did. I...I kept in mind what you said, about how far we've already come. We talked some about that and just...how to keep going." And many other things that the boy felt were too personal to share right now. Fenton pinched the bridge of his nose. "It went well but… I still don't know what to do with Mom and Dad. I mean...Mom freaked out when she learned we went flying last night and then today, in the lab it's just...I think we made it worse."

There was a pause as Fenton finished. His friends glanced at each other considering the words.

His goth friend leaned back. "Well that sucks."

The human Danny huffed. "You think? What exactly am I supposed to do?" He looked up, wide eyes deliberately asking for advice, for his friends to soothe his fears.

"Embrace the weirdness." Sam threw out the words with surprising casualness.

Fenton blinked, his frown deepening. "What?"

"Lean into it. Don't shy away from what's happening to you." The goth said.

The boy opened and closed his mouth. "But...they're still...they're still freaking out, Sam. You guys...you haven't seen how uncomfortable Mom and Dad are. Mom...She won't even actually say that I'm a ghost."

Sam shook her head, a hint of anger entering her gaze. "They're not gonna get used to everything if you still try to act like everything is normal, like you haven't changed, in front of them."

Fenton swallowed, stomach flopping. He wasn't sure if that anger was directed at him or at his parents. "I haven't….I haven't changed."

"Yes you have." Tucker cut in. "You're different, even compared to who you were last week. And that's not just going through the ghost catcher."

"And it's okay that you're different compared to before. Maybe it's even a good thing." Sam added.

Fenton tilted his head back and forth, considering. "We've had this conversation before, haven't we? Before I told Mom and Dad about my powers and…..you said something like that to Phantom on Saturday."

The goth wrinkled her brow. "I thought you didn't know about that."

The human Danny startled at that; how did he know about that conversation? "Phantom showed me that last night, I think? We...swapped some memories last night." He waved his hands around his head. "It's hard to keep up." Sam and Tucker traded a concerned look, like they wanted to ask more. But Fenton interjected. "I guess, you two do have a point. I am different and maybe….some of that is good."

That was an idea that kept coming up, didn't it? Yes, he was a ghost. He had powers and that was just a reality, not necessarily good or bad. But he had found things about being a ghost he liked- the flying, the way the night looked through his ghostly eyes. And those things were good, weren't they?

And what's more, Fenton remembered who he was before the ghost catcher, how afraid he'd been of his powers, of the part of him (them? The whole Danny?) that was Phantom or became Phantom?... He wasn't entirely sure how that all worked but…. He really had been a coward, hadn't he?

A hint of guilt rose at the thought but the boy cut it down. He'd promised, he'd promised he would try to let go of that, to be kinder to himself.

Fenton shook his head, looking up. "I need to make Mom and Dad see that too. And I guess...I can't do that if I won't actually show them who I am now."

Because he was different. Like he said last night him being a ghost, being Phantom, was a part of him that was non-negotiable. Mom and Dad were starting to see that and spending time with his ghost self alone most certainly helped, even if his more ghostly attributes made them uncomfortable. But he, as just Fenton, still could not shy away either.

"Good for you, man." Tucker offered him a half-smile.

"Yeah, I'm proud of you." Sam said.

The human Danny blushed at the compliment. He really did have good friends, friends who kept helping him figure out his crazy situation and sooth his fears.

"And what was that about you sneaking out?" The goth raised a brow.

Fenton rolled his eyes. Maybe he thought too soon. Nah, Sam and Tucker were still the best. With a passing wonder about how things were going with Phantom, the boy answered her question.

* * *

Despite the initial strangeness and his parents' painful reactions, working with Mom and Dad wasn't all that bad...or well, it could be worse. After listening to Phantom's core, Mom insisted on listening to his breathing.

"Breathe in for me." The woman instructed.

Phantom obeyed, taking a deliberated breath.

"And out." Mom said after a few seconds.

Cold air rushed out of his mouth. The cycle repeated and Mom removed the ear pieces. A look of relief passed over her face. "Your breathing sounds completely normal."

The boy blinked. "But...umm….I don't...uhh..I don't actually have lungs so….."

The ghost immediately cursed the words as soon as the words left his mouth as the relief disappeared off Mom's face. Why did he keep on saying vaguely disturbing things?

Mom swallowed. "I suppose you wouldn't in this form." That uncomfortable tone had returned, her eyes downcasted. His core clenched.

"And you don't actually have to breathe, do you?" Dad asked, curiosity clear in his eyes. But there was a hint of sadness underneath.

"Umm...no. I don't have to." It was still strange. He felt no urge to breathe. The lack of oxygen didn't burn his lungs...because he didn't have any. And when he did breathe… "I mean, I can. I do sometimes." Like if he was sighing in exacerbation…. or hyperventilating. "But I don't have to."

There was an awkward pause as Mom and Dad looked at each other. Then Mom shook her head, forcing the sad expression from her face. "It is strange that your breathing sounded normal considering….that." She rubbed her chin. "I don't know what to make of it. If we had an X-ray and could see inside your chest..."

The boy flinched at the words. Not that the idea of taking an x-ray scarred him; he's had to have one taken when he broke his ankle in fifth grade. But seeing the inside…..Mom's and Dad's previous excitement at seeing what was inside a ghost once they got their hands on one….He shivered.

Mom noticed, expression softening as she shook her head. "That doesn't really matter right now. How about we take your temperature next?"

The woman stood and grabbed the thermometer from the table. After asking Phantom to open his mouth, she placed the probe under his tongue. A few seconds later, the device beeped and Mom read out the temperature. "75 degrees Fahrenheit."

Phantom frowned at the number but said nothing. Part of him wanted to comment on how low it was; 98 was the normal body temperature. But then again, that was for a human and well...he'd already said enough things to emphasize his inhumanness in the last thirty minutes. And with the way Mom's eyes would widen and how a sad look would enter Dad's eyes…. He didn't need to painfully remind them and make it anymore awkward and uncomfortable.

In the silence, Mom jotted down the number. She quietly grabbed a plastic rod with a light at the end, like whatever the doctor used to look in his mouth, ears, and nose when he had a check up. He briefly wondered why his parents had all this medical equipment. It couldn't be all that useful for studying ghosts….. But wasn't he a ghost that they were studying? Well, not studying. This was a check up like at the doctor's. Information gathering so they could figure out how to put him back together, to fix him...But they were still studying him, weren't they? Nervousness rose again and the ghost fought to push it down. He shook his head.

A hand on his knee brought him out of his thoughts. "Danny-boy?" Phantom looked up to meet his father's eyes as the man smiled kindly at him. "How about you tell us about that book you were reading yesterday?"

The boy blinked for a moment, taking in the question before he realized exactly what this was. An opportunity to distract all of them. "Yeah." He nodded. "So it's the fourth book in the series. And the third one ended with the main character convincing his enemies to come together to save the world...I guess I should explain…."

Phantom started on a long winded explanation. Much like the last time in the lab, it was punctuated with the occasional question and brief explanation and instructions from Mom.

"But he was actually framed and didn't kidnap the president." The ghost pointed.

"I'm going to look in your ears so stay still for a second." Mom interrupted.

Phantom acknowledged with a nodd. "And the hitman who'd been sent to track him switched sides and actually saved him."

The woman leaned forward, examining his right ear with a humm. She jotted down some notes. "What happened next?"

"Okay so the second book? The hero got amnesia and his crush had to help him remember how to use his powers." Phantom continued talking as Mom tested his reflexes, which surprisingly were the same as normal. Again, strange. He wasn't entirely sure he had actual nerves in this form...or really of anything related to his ghostly anatomy other than his core. Maybe he should ask….

"Danny, sweetie." At the sound of his name, the ghost looked up at his mother. The corner of his lip turned down; he must have gotten distracted at some point and stopped talking.

Meeting his eyes, Mom asked. "Can you take off your gloves?"

The ghost boy glanced down. "Uh. Sure."

Phantom pulled his gloves off, placing them in his lap. He flexed his fingers nervously; the electrocution scar on his left hand was visible again. Remembering Mom's reaction to seeing it the first time, he braced himself.

Gently the woman reached for his hands. Her lips twitched as her gaze fell on his scar again but she swallowed and took his unscared right instead. A thoughtful expression covered her face as she studied the back of his hand before turning it over.

"It looks the same as last time." She commented. "And identical to your counterpart other than the….differences in hue."

Phantom read between the lines. By differences in hue, she meant the greenish tint of his skin and nails which was probably because of the ectoplasm running through his veins or...whatever.

"Can you squeeze my hand?" Mom asked and Phantom did so. "Good." The woman nodded. "I'm going to pull towards me and you resist." Another nod. "Now I'll push towards you." Again, the ghost gripped her hand, his arm holding steady. "Your strength and dexterity is good...although…" Her lips pursued and she met his eyes again. "Can I feel your wrist?"

Phantom nodded and her fingers moved, positioning as if to… The boy frowned. "Are you trying to feel my pulse, 'cause….."

"No sweetie. I'm….." She bit her lip. "Well...I'm trying to feel if you have bones."

The ghost tried not to gap. He really did. "You're trying to feel...if I have bones?"

Mom's face turned slightly red. "It feels like you do which is odd."

"Uh….why is that odd?" Phantom raised a brow.

The woman opened and closed her mouth for a few moments, trying to formulate a reply through her discomfort. She glanced at the other adult.

Dad raised a brow at her before turning to Phantom. "You don't know much about ghost anatomy, do you?"

Eyes wide, the ghost shook his head.

"Didn't think so." The man tapped his chin. "Well, ghosts have a core. That's the center of their power, kinda like…" He snapped his fingers. "How'd you describe it, Maddie?"

"It's the combined heart and brain of a ghost." Mom said quietly. "That matches what you told us, about how you can feel the ectoenergy flowing from it."

"Right." Dad nodded. "But, other than the core, ghosts don't have other organs."

"Well, clearly that's not true." The ghost glanced down at himself, frowning. "I'm not just a core."

Mom shook her head. "That's not what he means, sweetie. Clearly, you have some kind of nervous or circulatory system to allow ectoenergy….and probably ectoplasm as well….to circulate around your body."

Dad's eyes lit up at the statement. "Mads do you think other ghosts have the same thing?"

The woman tilted her head in thought. "Maybe, it would make sense if they did. Maybe we should-"

"Mom, Dad." Phantom interrupted. "What does this have to do with why me having bones in ghost form is weird?"

"Sorry son." Dad continued. "The point is...we thought ghosts just had a core and the outer appearance was just a shell."

The ghost blinked at the man in confusion. He turned at Mom, silently asking for further explanation.

The woman frowned. Her brow furrowed and she swallowed. "The outer appearance is just that, an appearance. A ghost may look like a human but the similarities are just cosmetic with no substance below the surface." Mom averted her eyes, focusing on the wall behind him. Her tone shifted, becoming forcibly impersonal and professional. "A ghost's body is composed entirely of ectoplasm, with the core being the most energetic and organized region. The rest of the appearance is projected from the core and composed of ectoplasm in semi-solid or liquid form."

Phantom felt the illusion of his stomach flopping. That tone, that scarily detached quality, prickled his skin, the hair on the back of his neck raising in fear. Fear. The flickering image of the hallway at school raised in his vision. A wordless question rang in his mind. Fenton, asking what was happening.

The ghost boy shook his head, forcing the anxiety down. He closed his eyes, briefly trying to send Fenton the message that he was okay and they'd talk about it later. His older half drifted out of his awareness again.

Phantom looked up, swallowing. "So….I...uhh...I shouldn't be solid enough to have bones?"

Mom seemed to register his discomfort, her face softening. "I wouldn't say you shouldn't but….what we know about ectoplasm suggests it's highly unlikely. I'd thought ghosts' forms were more malleable." She said the last part quietly, as if talking to herself rather than him.

"Malleable…" Dad wrinkled his brow in thought. "But Mads, doesn't self perception play into a ghost's form too?"

The woman put a hand on her head. "That's an older theory but yes, since the core does act as the brain of a ghost, thought can alter form to an extent...but that's still limited by ectoplasm's physical properties."

"Maybe ectoplasm is more malleable than we thought." The other adult suggested.

Phantom blinked looking between the two in confusion. The way they bounce ideas off each other, talking over his head so scientifically unsettlingly reminded him of Sunday night, of them talking about him as if he was just a copy, one of their experiments.…. No. He cut the thought off. He was not an experiment to them. He wasn't. This was innocent curiosity, nothing more.

He coughed, getting the parents attention. "I still don't get what you're talking about. What does this have to do with me having bones?" He wrung his hands. "How will this help you guys figure out how to fix me?"

Dad blinked, the pair of adults looking at each other. A guilty look crossed Mom's faces, her cheek reddening. Brief shame passed his father's expression as well.

The man's face softened and he gently placed a hand on his son's knee. "You're right, Danny boy. I guess the point is….you still pretty much think of yourself as human, don't you?"

The ghost blinked in shock. "I am human." The words exited his mouth before he really thought. Then he blushed. "I mean….I know I don't look it right now." He motioned down his body. "I am the ghost half….and being split doesn't help….But I'm still just as much a human as a ghost. And...I've been a human a lot longer than I've been a ghost so..."

"I get it, son." His dad offered a subdued smile. "But do you get it? Why that's important for how you look and feel?"

Phantom shook his head. "Ummmm….No?"

The man pointed at his head. "You are what you think. Or...err…" He glanced down at the boy's chest, where his core was. Dad's large finger wavered back and forth between the two before he shrugged. "Ehh, no matter where you're thinkin' from, what you think shapes who you are."

The ghost tilted his head for a few moments, considering this. It would explain things, especially why the way his body felt seemed to flexate, why sometimes he could feel his heart beating or his stomach flopping with nerves. But he suspected it was deeper still, his thoughts shaping who he was a person. There was a reason that he and Fenton felt more like one person when they were thinking and feeling alike, when the pieces of their mind were in harmony.

Phantom nodded. "I think I get it, yeah. I still think like I'm human so I feel more human." He looked down, examining his hands. "I guess that might help with fusing too, if I can imagine what I'll feel like when I'm back to normal." Again, he was reminded of how little he knew of his ghost form before the ghost catcher, how he still didn't know how his human and ghost forms fit together when he's all in one body. But if he can imagine it, truly being human and ghost at the same time…..

The boy looked up from his thoughts as he noticed the silence around him. Based on how this conversation had gone so far, he expected to find nervousness, discomfort in his parents' gazes. But instead Mom looked….relieved? The ghost frowned, puzzling that out. Why? He'd said he primarily thought like a human (not that he really knew that much about real ghosts and how they thought) and he felt human. And he mentioned fusing, going back to normal….Oh

The ghost boy's expression fell. Human. Normal. Those words likely meant something different to his parents, his mom especially who was still struggling with him being a ghost. But he can't give them false ideas about his humanity, his ghostliness, and the weight he gave both.

He bit his lip. "You know…..I'm just as much a ghost as I am a human. Both...both are parts of me, equal parts of me. I know that doesn't make much sense, 'cause being a ghost is new. And I just told you I primarily think of myself as human but...it has to be true. 'Cause me and Fenton are both equally Danny. There isn't a dominant half. One of us isn't more the 'real' Danny." He put the word in air quotes. "We're just…." He lashed his fingers together. "We need each other. And that's not just gonna end after we fuse. We need both our halves and we're not gonna stop being a ghost after this."

Phantom's ramble ended and his mouth snapped shut as he watched his parents for their reactions. Mom's relief evaporated; she looked disappointed. It made his core ache.

"I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" The ghost started.

"Son, it's okay." Dad cut in. "I get it."

Though his face was heavy with sadness, there was….acceptance there. Acceptance. The kind expression just about made Phantom's core sing in relief.

"You do?" The ghost asked hopefully.

Dad tilted his head back and forth. "I don't understand all of this but...you are who you are. If being a ghost is a part of you, then…" The man swallowed. "I can accept that."

Phantom could hardly believe the words. "Really? You mean that?"

"Of course, I do." The man stood up and approached Phantom. Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around the ghost version of his son. "I'm sorry I didn't assure you sooner."

Gaping, the ghost returned the hug. "It's...it's okay. I get it. This is hard, really hard." He lowered his voice, whispering into Dad's shoulder. "I've struggled to."

"I know...I should have been there." Dad squeezed him one more time before stepping back. "I love you, Danno."

Danny the ghost smiled. "I love you too."

"Thanks for being such a good sport today. We learned a lot." Dad said. "Anything else you want to talk about?"

Phantom's core pulsed in sudden nervousness at the question. Apprehensively, he glanced at Mom. The woman had still not said anything. In fact, her expression was unreadable.

The ghost swallowed, deciding to ask anyway. "Uh...about last night?"

"What about last night?" With crossed arms, Mom finally broke her silence.

"Ummm….I am sorry about not telling you guys and missing curfew. I really am. And I won't do it again. But…." He sighed. "I had a really good time flying. Other me loved it too which was...a pleasant surprise, since he got our fear of heights. It was amazing. Really amazing." The ghost wrung his hands. "I know that us flying worries you and maybe you're right and it could be dangerous but…" Finally asking what he wanted to, Phantom looked down. "please don't make us give it up."

Heavy silence lingered, making the room feel suffocating. Maybe he shouldn't have asked that, not this soon. He still hadn't gotten a reaction from Mom. Still didn't know what she really thought about all this.

"We're not gonna to forbid you from flying." Dad said.

At the declaration, Phantom looked up. His eyes meet Dad's eyes which shone with kindness. The ghost's lips twitch up. "You're not?"

"Of course not." Dad reassured, smiling. "You can fly, Danny boy. You can fly! That's amazing!" The man's grin widened with familiar enthusiasm. It keenly reminded the ghost of his father's reaction when he showed off his floating on Monday. "It's incredible. You look so comfortable in the air. I can tell you love it. I'd never take that from you."

That promise, that reassurance, lifted Phantom's spirit. "Really? You mean that? Really?"

"Yes!" The man said enthusiastically. He tapped his chin in thought. "Also I was thinking...your other powers… do you wanna show them off to us? We could train, figure out what you can do."

The ghost smiled at another pleasant surprise. He'd thought about that last night, figuring out his powers and his limits. But that his dad would pick up on that or have a similar idea? Then again, he did have ghost powers. And his father's love of ghosts was only surpassed by his love for his family (and maybe for fudge) so maybe his interests shouldn't be all that surprising.

"Jack." Mom cut suddenly in sharply, her face hard.

And just like that, Phantom's good mood evaporated.

Dad, however, did not seem to pick up on the change in mood. He turned, giving her a confused look. "Your mother and I will have to talk about how so we can test your powers safely…..And we'll need some rules for flying. But we won't keep you from that."

"Jack." The other adult interrupted again. "You can't...you can't promise him that."

The man blinked, frowning. "Why not?"

"It might be…." Her voice, still harsh, lowered. "It might be dangerous."

Dangerous…. Dangerous for who? For him, the ghost half? For Fenton? For Mom and Dad? Why would it….. Well, his powers could harm. He'd seen that...but that didn't make them, make him, dangerous.

"That's why we should train him, Madds. If he learns the limits of his powers and how to better control them, they won't be dangerous. Not training him could actually be more dangerous." The man held up his hands, answering like it was the most obvious thing.

Mom opened and closed her mouth like she very much wanted to argue. The woman glanced between the boy and her husband, a calculation running behind her eyes. Her mouth closed and her face hardened, set with something that might be...anger. "Danny. Go upstairs. Your father and I need to talk."

Phantom swallowed. "But.."

"Go upstairs." The woman demanded.

The ghost shivered. That tone sent dread through him. It was sharp, like someone was in deep trouble. She's angry. But at Dad or at him? He couldn't tell. He couldn't tell and he didn't know what he or Dad would have done to earn her wrath.

"Danny boy. Go upstairs." Dad's words were quiet, the tone of someone who suddenly realized they were in trouble but wasn't sure why. They effectively cut through his growing panic.

"Oh...okay. Okay." The ghost floated off the stool, stuttering out the words.

With a cursory glance back, Phantom floated up the stairs.


	27. Chapter 27

Phantom knew he shouldn't eavesdrop. He shouldn't. He'd gotten in trouble for it before, for listening in on Mom and Dad. But…..his ears were burning.

As soon as he closed the door to the lab, the frantic whispers started and they were getting louder. His parents were talking about him, obviously. Of course they were. He seemed to be the only things they talked about now, the only thing they worried about, the only things they argued over.

He shouldn't listen but...maybe it was their increasing volume or maybe like his eyesight, his hearing was enhanced. Either way, he could make out every single word.

"You can't encourage him like that." Mom was saying, harshly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Dad sounded slightly confused.

"The way...the way you reacted to his powers, the flying. Even promising to train him!" Her voice pitched up in anger. "You can't do that! You cannot act like you're fascinated, like all of this is the most incredible thing you've ever seen."

"It is incredible, Maddie. Danny...our son can do amazing things."

"Amazing?! He's a...a...he's a…." Despite her anger, she choked on the word.

"He's a ghost. You can say the word. That's just what he is." Dad said blunty. "And yes, I'm interested. Can you blame me? We've dreamed about finding a real ghost and learning from them for years. We've already learned so much and we're help-"

"This isn't just some random ghost!" Mom shouted and Phantom could imagine her red face, her balled fists. "This is...this is our son! Our Danny! And he's…." She cut herself off. "This is serious! And you're acting like it's not! You can't act like this is a joke!"

"That is not fair." Just like that, Dad's tone changed, sharpening. "That's not what I'm doing and you know it."

"Do I?" The woman challenged. "Do I know? Because I have no idea! All I can see is that you're acting comfortable with this!"

"I'm not comfortable!" Dad's volume increased. "Of course I'm not! But I'm trying to make our son feel safe and like he can actually be honest with us."

There was a pause. After a moment, Mom responded, her tense voice quieted. "I understand that but you still can't treat this so casually."

"No." Dad cut in. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare accuse me of not taking this seriously. All I am trying to do is fix things. I'm trying to make good out of this horrible situation."

"Good….." Her voice was quiet and somehow that was worse than the yelling. "Our son….our son died. He died and it is our fault. We...we did that to him. We made him into….what he is now. And then...then we ripped him apart. We violated his mind. We chased him. We yelled at him. I….I shoot him." Her voice cracked. "There is no good...there is no good here. No good outcome. The best we can hope for is getting all of our son back in one body." She sighed. "And even then he'll still be….he'll still be a ghost." Painfully, she forced out the word.

"I know that. Believe me, I know all that. I am just trying to help both of our Dannys through this." Dad's voice softened, compassionate understanding entering it.

"Promising to let him fly and train his powers is not helping." Mom's voice hardened and the ghost boy could imagine her crossed arms.

Dad heaved a sigh, exacerbated. "How is it not helping?"

The woman sighed exacerbated right back. "We need to focus on figuring out how to re-fuse both versions of our son."

"I'm not saying that we don't. I'm not even suggesting we switch our focus! But training Danny's powers needs to be on the table."

"No. It doesn't." Mom said forcibly calm.

There was a pause and another sigh. "Look. I know you are not happy with this but wouldn't helping Danny figure out his powers be better than making him figure it out all on his own? Because he will. He's a teenager. If we tell him not to use his powers or forbid him from flying, he'll do it anyway. He'll experiment and sneak out again. But if we let him fly and train? We can supervise him and help him figure this out. Isn't that better than letting him wander around the town in the middle of the night?"

Phantom's stomach dropped with guilt at the thought but he didn't get a chance to think about it, as Mom argued. "But he could still get hurt."

"Our son could get hurt driving a car or using a kitchen knife. But we're not gonna forbid him from getting his permit or from helping in the kitchen. That's why we have rules, why we've taught our kids how to be safe in the kitchen or on the road."

Mom spat out. "But...these are ghost powers! They're dangerous!"

"And that's why we have to teach him! You've seen how his powers act up if he's upset. And yes, they can be dangerous. Yes, he could accidentally hurt himself or someone else. But Danny doesn't want to hurt anyone. And he's right. The powers won't go away after we fix him. So we need to help him figure out how to control them."

"But they...we can't…" Phantom could picture Mom shaking her head, teeth gritted. "We're the parents. We don't have to let him do anything."

"Maddie?" The man questioned, voice hitched up.

"No. It's still...it's still too dangerous." The woman sounded like a broken record. "We can't risk him getting hurt or...no it's...it's too dangerous."

The words dug into his core. She was worried, almost sickly, about his safety but there was more.

"Why are you so opposed to this?" Dad challenged.

"It's...it's dangerous." Mom repeated.

"No." The other adult said sharply. "That's not it. You know why letting Danny fly and training him would be less dangerous than doing nothing. So why are you still opposed?"

Sudden silence fell over the room. Mom didn't answer but Phantom wished she would, that she would explain why she was being so stubborn and bullheaded. The ghost mulled over Dad's words. To Phantom's chagrin, they were true; he had no doubt that if Mom and Dad did forbid him from flying he would do it anyway. And as uncomfortable as it would be, training with his parents would be much better than continuing to struggle without directions. And that's what irked the ghost boy. The words were logical, just the logic that would normally convince Mom, so why was she being so ridiculous?!

Dad's quiet words cut through the silence."What are you so afraid of?"

There was another pause. His core pulsed nervously, waiting for a response. Phantom held his breath yet somehow he almost missed Mom's quiet answer.

"I don't...I don't want to lose him." The woman swallowed. "If we...if we encourage his more ghostly behaviors and attributes..." Mom's voice hardened again. "What if he loses himself, his humanity?"

Fear wrapped a cold hand around Phantom's core.

"Maddie!" Dad sounded offended. "We're not in any danger of him losing his humanity! Even as just Phantom, he's just as compassionate and sensitive as ever. Letting him fly, do something he loves, won't change that!" The man argued.

"We don't know that, Jack! We don't know how ectoplasm could affect his mind. He could deteriorate, lose his...lose his memories, like in many of the accounts. He could develop an obsession or hurt himself or someone else with his powers or-"

"No." Dad's harsh, angry voice cut her off. "Jazz was right. These preconceived notions, this bias against ghosts, they're wrong."

"But-" Mom started.

The other adult cut her off. "No. You're...you're just assuming the worst. That our son's gonna to go feral if we let him use his powers?! That is ridiculous."

"But...but he could...we don't know…" The woman stuttered.

"No." The man interrupted bluntly. "What I do know is, our son is not dangerous. He will never become dangerous. And we will not treat him like he is." Phantom could picture his father's gritted teeth. "Phantom is our Danny, through and through, down to his soul. He loves space and corny puns and hanging out with his friends. He always tries his best but is sometimes too hard on himself. And he's the most kind, compassionate kid we know. Becoming a ghost has not changed that and it never will."

The ghost could hardly make out the next words. "But he's so….he's so different from before." Mom's voice wavered with crushing sadness and a hint of fear. Phantom imagined her standing with her arms around her middle. "His love of flying. That confidence about being a ghost….I don't...I don't understand. That boy, the boy who cried, who begged for us to make his ghostly symptoms go away. What...what happened to him?"

"We destroyed him." The hair on the back of the ghost's neck rose at Dad's tone. "We ripped him in two, because we made him feel like he couldn't trust us with the truth." Phantom swallowed, guilt rising. "And with how Fenton and Phantom are with each other...that Danny isn't coming back. And maybe...maybe we need to let that version of him die."

Dad stopped and there was silence. Long, heavy, deep and depressive silence with no response from Mom. No words, no sound, nothing. And that silence was worse than yelling, than obvious disagreement. He couldn't see her face, her body language. Was her face red with silent anger, vehemently disagreeing? Was she silently mourning, still heartbroken and clinging to the normal, human version of him that she wanted? Or was her face downcast with guilt for what she said? Could he dare to hope that she was thoughtfully considering Dad's words and moving towards acceptance?

"You're not going to say anything?" Dad asked harshly. A pause. "Fine. I'm going upstairs to eat lunch."

Heavy footsteps sounded in the lab. Sudden panic rose in Phantom, as he realized what was happening and the compromising position he was in; he was standing with his ear pressed against the door. With a gasp, he floated backwards. He flickered invisible and flew up through the ceiling just as Dad opened the door.

Phantom quickly flew into his bedroom, before flopping down on his bed. His stomach knotted with worry and guilt. He shouldn't have eavesdropped. Shouldn't have heard Mom say all those awful things about him, the fears she had about his ghostliness overtaking him. His core clenched, his emotions pulling in two directions. He was angry at what she said, what she suggested. That he was dangerous, that he might lose his humanity, that he'd changed and him being a ghost was bad. But….those fears….he'd had those before, he's been afraid and maybe still was afraid of becoming a monster like in one of Mom and Dad's stories but…

_You're not evil. We're not gonna to turn into a monster._

The words were suddenly in Phantom's head, his words but...not but….. they were his words. But….

"Fenton." The ghost whispered. He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. In his vision appeared his reflection, his human reflection in the mirror in the boy's bathroom at school. "You just spoke into my head."

A cheeky grin in the mirror. "I can use your mouth if you want." In the bedroom and the school bathroom, the words were whispered aloud.

"Please don't." Phantom's alone spoke, a grin spreading on his own face.

_I won't...too often_ Fenton thought, slightly teasing.

The ghost mentally rolled his eyes before sobering. "How much of that did you hear?"

_Just the end. I'm...I'm sorry you had to hear Mom say all that. But Dad's right. We're not a monster. Being a ghost doesn't make us a monster. It doesn't change who we are, deep down. We're still Danny._

Phantom wrung his hands. "But...we are different from before."

_Yeah but those changes aren't bad._ Fenton comforted. _And...I like who we're becoming._

The ghost blushed. "Really?"

_I mean...I'd like it more if we were really one person but….I like not being afraid of my ghost half anymore._

"I like not being afraid too." Phantom balled his hands in his sheets. "But still….Mom...why does she...why can't she…" Tears started collecting in his eyes. "Why can't she just accept me?"

No words of comfort came from Fenton but a wave of sadness, the same sadness the ghost was feeling. A quiet whine exited the ghost's throat and he could feel the urge to cry welling up in him.

But before he did, words drifted into his head. _Dad accepts us. He...he defended us._

Phantom's breath hitched, startling at the thought. He'd been so angry and upset at Mom's words that his father's hadn't registered. "He did. He yelled at her for us."

That was a surprise, his Dad being the understanding and accepting parent. He had been the one who was the most gung ho about getting revenge when Mom and Dad (and Phantom himself) thought he was a ghost who had been overshadowing their son. But then again, Dad had looked at and recognized him first, down in the lab. Dad had had more doubts about the 'Phantom's just a copy' idea. Dad had talked to and comforted him after that first awkward breakfast. He'd been more comfortable with seeing his ghostly attributes, compared to Mom. Maybe, Phantom shouldn't have been so caught off guard by this welcome surprise.

_Maybe what he said managed to knock some sense into her._ Fenton offered, hopefully.

"Maybe….I hope so." Phantom replied, though he didn't feel all that confident.

Mom was stubborn, very stubborn. He and Fenton had talked to her, not about everything but enough that she shouldn't still be so blind. Jazz had even yelled at her. But….unnatural, wrong, dangerous….those words still dug at his core. Familiar fears lashed out- fears of being forbidden from flying, of having their powers suppressed, of being forced to be (pretend to be) normal.

_Mom won't actually do something if Dad's against it. _ Phantom blinked startled, sending disbelief to his counterpart. Fenton continued sheepishly. _I mean….they're fighting which sucks but…I don't think she'll actually do anything to us. And Dad….he believes in us. He's not gonna change his mind._

"Yeah." The ghost agreed. Fenton was right of course. But Phantom's core still fluttered uncertainly, thinking about that argument.

_It's gonna be okay._ His human self whispered to him. _We've still got Sam and Tucker and Jazz. And we know Dad's on our side now. And...Mom will come around._

The human tried to sound confident but Phantom could feel he was equally unsure. The ghost sighed. "Just….we'll just have to keep hoping…."

_Yeah, keep hoping._ Fenton agreed._ And-_

Just then, the sound of a bell rang in Phantom's head cutting off Fenton's thought. In the bedroom, he sat up. "What was that?"

In the mirror, Fenton frowned. "The bell. Lunch is over." This time, the words came out of Phantom's mouth but the ghost didn't mind.

"Oh…" His lips turned down. "I guess you have to go to class."

_Yeah….are you gonna be okay?_ The human pointedly met his reflection's eyes, his reflection's glowing green eyes….huh, at some point, the color must have changed. With the pointed contact, it felt very much like Fenton was looking his ghost half in the eyes. In a way, he was.

"Yeah. I'll be okay. We can...we'll talk more when you get home. You should focus on school."

Fenton's frown deepened. _Alright. If you need me...uhhh…._

"You'll be here." Phantom's lip twitched. "You're always here, 'cause we're the same person, remember?"

_Yep. See ya, Danny._ The human offered him a half-smile through the mirror. Fenton blinked and the green light started leaching from his eyes, the icy blue swirling with its counterpart.

"See ya, Danny." The green evaporated, leaving pure blue for a moment before the image disappeared, leaving Phantom with just the darkness of his closed eyes lids.

The ghost opened his eyes and flopped back down onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he groaned in slight annoyance at the situation. He did feel somewhat better after talking to his counterpart but still, this situation….why was everything still so frustrating?!

Huffing out a breath, Phantom turned his attention outward, away from his thoughts. It was quiet. No banging from the lab. No yelling. No soft sounds of his parents making lunch and chatting. Not even the sound of the tv or radio. This was almost suspiciously quiet. It left Phantom wondering what his Mom and Dad were doing. His father was probably eating his lunch in silence. But Mom….could he dare to hope she was actually considering what Dad said and would change her mind? He wanted to, he really wanted to hope for the best but..he didn't want to get hurt again.

The boy laid on his bed for a while, trying to corral his anxious thoughts. Suddenly a knock sounded on his door. The ghost gasped, feeling his phantom heart skip a beat. Rapidly, he sat up.

"Danny? It's me." Ghost Danny exhaled in relief, recognizing the voice. "Can I come in?" Dad continued.

The ghost bit his lip. "Sure."

A second later, his door slowly swung open and sure enough, his dad stood on the other side. The man wore a haggard look. His lips turned down in an unhappy frown but kindness still shone through his eyes.

"Hey, kiddo. I wanted to see if you were alright." Dad asked.

Phantom sighed. "I'm….I'm okay."

The man shifted nervously. "Can I sit here with you?" He pointed to the bed.

The ghost boy nodded and Dad walked forward and sat down. The bed creaked and sagged under his weight.

"I'm sorry about earlier, son. Your mother….." He trailed off shaking his head.

"You two were fighting...about me." The words burned, coming out of Phantom's mouth. Dad glanced at him, looking slightly surprised. The ghost shivered. "I...I heard you yelling at each other."

Dad's face softened. "Oh, Danny. You shouldn't have had to hear that."

"You guys...you guys were fighting and it's my fault." His core clenched at the thought.

"No. None of this is your fault." Dad wrapped an arm around the ghost boy. "Your mom and I, yes we were arguing but that's not on you."

Phantom shook his head. "Mom...mom doesn't want me flying, or using my other powers, or training. But I just can't...I can't give that up."

"I know you can't….and I won't ask you too." Dad reassured. In response, the ghost looked over at him. The man sighed. "I know...I know your Mom's being stubborn but….she'll come around."

"But...she said….she thinks…." The boy choked on the words. He couldn't say them, not in front of Dad, not even after everything that just happened.

"She's wrong about you." Dad rubbed his back. "I've said it before but, I know you're good." His face reddened with shame. "We should never have made you feel like you weren't." There was a pause before the man continued. "Your mother knows you're good too."

Phantom gritted his teeth. "Then why is she being like this?"

Dad sighed. "I don't really know, son." He ran his free hand through his hair. "I know she's still scared but…."

"That doesn't excuse her treating me like this." The ghost balled up his fists.

"I didn't say it did." The adult assured. "But be patient with her, okay? She's coming around. It's just...she's scared and she doesn't like to learn she's wrong…...I think her pride is getting in the way."

Her pride was getting in the way? What was that supposed to mean? Phantom opened and closed his mouth, wanting to ask more. But he had no idea what to even ask. Not that Dad would know. Plus….guilt pricked his core…..He didn't want to talk bad about Mom to his other parent.

The ghost boy shook his head. "Okay. I will." He would. He'd try to be patient as much as it irked him. And hopefully, Dad was right about Mom changing her mind and knowing that he was good.

After a moment, Phantom put one arm around his dad, returning the side hug. "Thank you for believing in me."

Dad's face fell for a moment, deep lines creasing with sadness. Then it softened with parental love. "Of course, Danny. Of course. I'll always believe in you." He smiled, meeting Phantom's green eyes. "And son?"

"Yeah?" The ghost raised a brow at the question.

"I want you to know...I love you, just as you are. Ghost, human, equally both and anything in between. There is nothing wrong with you. You're just the way you're supposed to be." His voice rang with conviction as he smiled and ruffled the ghost's white hair.

Phantom blushed in embarrassment but didn't pull away. "Thanks Dad."

The man nodded. "So are you feeling better?" The ghost nodded. "Good. Good." Dad glanced at the door. "How do you feel about going downstairs and watching some Star Trek with your old man?"

Downstairs…...Phantom's stomach flopped. "But Mom…?"

"She's still in the lab. When I left her down there, she was thinking about things."

"Oh..okay." He bit his lip.

Dad stood up. "Come on Danno. It'll be okay."

Phantom took a deep breath. "Yeah. Okay." He stood. "We can watch some Star Trek."

Dad's eyes lit up at the idea and the ghost boy couldn't help but smile too, despite his nerves.

* * *

School passed pretty normally and soon enough, Fenton was walking home. The boy's shoulders tensed and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Earlier at school, he'd had a distraction but now….everything that he caught a glimpse of in the lab, that argument between Mom and Dad, how he reassured his other self through the bathroom mirror….. It all came back into his awareness and with it a wave of anxiety. He didn't know what happened with Phantom after he'd turned his attention away and gone to class. Presumably nothing extremely stressful, as he didn't get anymore bursts of worry from the ghost. But all the same, he was going home now and would likely have to deal with Mom at some point. And...the boy sighed….he still didn't know what to do about her but what he'd said had been true. He and Phantom had people on their side and maybe...maybe Mom would come around.

A twenty minute walk later, Fenton found himself at his front door. One hand wavered over the knob as he clutched his key in his other. He braced himself. It would be okay. Whatever happened with Mom, they would be okay. Taking a deep breath, Fenton unlocked the door. He opened it to find Phantom and Dad sitting around the TV.

Fenton blinked, taking the peaceful and mundane scene in for a moment. Some of the tension in his shoulders evaporated at seeing how relaxed the two looked. He closed the door.

"Voyager?" Fenton questioned pointing at the screen.

"Yep." His ghost half nodded. He sat up from where he was laying on the couch. Then he patted the seat beside him, inviting Fenton to sit.

The human boy tentatively glanced at his dad, who reclined in the arm chair.

The man raised a brow. "You can watch an episode before starting on your homework."

At that, Fenton put down his bookbag and sat down on the other end of the couch. Phantom readjusted himself before plopping his feet down in his human counterpart's lap. This earned a small chuckle from Fenton.

"How was school, son?" Dad's question drew both boy's eyes.

Fenton shrugged. "Good I guess… it was just a normal school day."

His father gave a nod before turning back to the tv. His eyes lit up. "Ooo do you recognize what episode this is, Danny-boy?"

Both Dannys also turned to the tv. Fenton furrowed his brow in thought at the opening scene. "I don't think so?"

Phantom shook his head. "Nah Dad. Not yet."

Dad's expression didn't fall at the negative answer. Instead he kept smiling. "Keep watching. I know we've watched this one together. You'll remember it."

Fenton thoughtfully watched as the Voyager crew beamed onto an alien planet and promptly split up to explore….that was not going to end well but hopefully, whatever hijinks ensue, things would work out. But anyway, it was bound to be an interesting adventure.

"I think I do remember this one." Phantom perked up. "Isn't this the one where B'Elanna gets split into her human and Klingon halves?" As soon as the words left the ghost's mouth, he blinked starterdly at his counterpart.

Fenton copied his action. "Huh…." He looked down at himself and then back to his ghost. "Life imitates art." The ghost snorted in response. Then the human tilted his head. "Wait…..are you the Klingon half in this comparison?"

Phantom frowned and wrinkled his brow before shrugging. "Eh, there's worse alien species to be, I guess."

With that, the pair turned attention back to the episode. Now that he thought about it, Fenton did seem to remember this episode. Dad had enthusiastically shown it to him on rerun at some point, along with many other episodes which started his love of Star Trek. The vision of a bright future. Exploring alien worlds. Discovering the mysteries of the universe. Those ideas- boldly going where no man has gone before- resonated in his heart from a young age and helped spark his dream of seeing space and becoming an astronaut. Fenton smiled at the thought, feeling more of his previous anxiety trickle away. At the same time, he could feel similar happiness projecting from his other self, the feeling magnified by the physical contact.

And that was another good thing about being home. He and his ghost half weren't separated by distance. They could actually talk and interact without any mental reaching, glowing eyes, or weird double vision. Somehow, being side by side seemed to lessen some of the strain of being split.

The episode continued and Fenton continued to watch, happily taking the distraction, the opportunity to just enjoy the story on the screen and not think about school or his numerous personal problems. And hanging out with his Dad was pretty cool too, not that the boy would say that outloud. It was nice, being able to share this common interest with the man as the three (in body at least) traded comments and reactions.

Too soon the episode ended. Dad turned off the tv. "I should go see what your mother's up to. She hasn't been up since before...well you know." He frowned, looking concerned. Then he shook his head, addressing the pair. "And you've got homework to do."

"Yeah." Fenton sighed, remembering his assignments. "Come on." He pushed Phantom's feet off his lap, earning a huff from the ghost.

Both boys were moving to stand as the sound of light feet moving up the stairs rang out. Fenton fixed eyes on the lab door, nervousness suddenly prickled his heart. The door opened and the boy swallowed, seeing who came through, his Mom. Her shoulders were tense, her mouth in a tight line. Fenton's stomach flopped; was she still angry? at Dad? at him? Despite himself, her words from earlier rang in his head- dangerous. He could still become a monster, was still wrong and unnatural.

Phantom's hand rested on his arm, green eyes meeting blue. _We're not those things._

The corner of the human's mouth turned up at the reassurance. Earlier, he'd said (thought?) something like that to his other half after Mom and Dad's argument. Gently, Fenton poked back with his own soft comfort.

"Danny?" Mom's voice drew the pair's attention. "You're both home."

"Yeah." Fenton said, taking in her expression. She didn't look angry anymore. Instead she worried her lip, her eyes wide and face flushed with what might be shame.

"Good." The woman nodded. "How was school, sweetie?"

The human boy raised a brow. "It was fine."

Fenton chose not to elaborate. He didn't feel like participating in small talk with Mom especially since he was still hurt and a little angry at her. With his short answer, the living room fell into an awkward silence. Tentatively glancing among the pair on the couch and her husband, Mom approached. Fenton watched with warry eyes as she sat down in the arm chair beside the couch.

Mom sighed. "I wanted to talk about earlier." She swallowed meeting Fenton's gaze. "Your counterpart asked about flying and your father brought up training your powers. And I..." She trailed off, unsure how to continue.

"I know what happened." Fenton said.

"Oh...he already told you?" Her eyes flickered to the ghost before falling back on the human.

"No." The human Danny said plainly, causing his mother to wrinkle her brow in confusion.

Phantom pointed between his and his counterpart's heads. "The...uhh...memory sharing thing."

"Or perception sharing? Since it happened in real time..." Feeling nervous, Fenton wrung his hands. "Anyway I….ummm….I heard most of what happened."

"Oh." Mom blinked, frown deepening. "Well..your father and I had a small disagreement after you left."

Fenton pursed his lips. A small disagreement? Well, that sounded like an understatement.

His ghost huffed. "Yeah we heard you arguing."

Mom paled for a moment, her eyes widening like she was caught red handed. Then her cheeks reddened with shame. "Well….I'm sorry you heard any of that. I'm sure I said some rather….unkind things."

Fenton's heart clenched painfully. Unkind? Really, unkind? "It's…." The human trailed off. It was not okay, not at all. But he didn't have the heart to say anything, not when his voice was threatening to shake.

Beside him, Phantom crossed his arms. The human felt distant anger rise in his counterpart as the ghost fought to not scoff. He also remained silent.

"Anyway….I thought about what your father said and…." The woman closed her eyes for a moment before forcing out the words. "I'll agree to training your powers and won't forbid you from flying."

"What?" Fenton blinked, shock momentarily overtaking his pain and anger.

Mom swallowed. "Your father had a point. Not training you to control your powers would be more dangerous than doing nothing….and….I hate saying this but….keeping you grounded would be cruel."

"Grounded?" Phantom asked quietly, tilting his head.

"As in keeping you on the ground. Physically grounded, so you can't fly." She pointedly frowned. "You are still grounded from your computer and going out with your friends for the next week."

"But you'll let us train?" The human boy asked, eyes wide with tentative hope.

Mom sighed unhappily. "Yes. I will." She glanced at her husband. "Your father and I will talk about how to safely move forward with your training."

Dad nodded, eyes bright. "Yeah! We can section off a part of the lab as a training area." He tapped his chin. "We'll need to set up targets for shooting practice. Maybe an obstacle course for flying? Oh! And I'll get a speed gun! You're a fast one!"

Fenton wrinkled his brow. How exactly did Dad know that? Oh wait….his stomach flopped remembering Mom and Dad chasing his ghost self with their ectoguns. He pushed the memory away as Phantom glanced at him, blanching.

Mom shook her head. "Not right now, honey. We need to focus on working on the ghost catcher. Also…" She looked between the two version of her son. "It might be better to wait until we re-merge you."

Fenton crossed his arms. Well, that actually sounded like avoidance of the issue, not true agreement. On some level, he wanted to argue but Phantom surprised him.

"Oh yeah. That might be a good idea." The ghost said sheepishly. His human half gave him a quizzical look and he shrugged. "I actually have pretty good control right now." To demonstrate he turned one hand invisible. A deliberate pause later, it flickered back into view. "But when we were together, we had almost no control...well in human form anyway."

Fenton frowned, looking down at his own hand. "Oh yeah. And we don't really know much about ghost form 'cause… well, we didn't really experiment." The human bit his lip, unable to say the real reason in front of his parents; he'd been too afraid of his powers to really try.

"Yeah." Phantom agreed. "And I mean...that control might carry over but… I don't know if it's just from actually using my powers now or...something else." He didn't elaborate but Fenton had an idea what those thoughts were. Were the powers easier as just the ghost half, with less distraction from his human side? If they were…

"It would be better to train as one person then, since uhhh…" Fenton waved up and down his body. "This me can't actually use ghost powers and…. I don't actually know how to." His voice lowered on the last part, as he felt a mixture of embarrassment and shame at admitting that in front of his parents.

Phantom tilted his head, before patting his other self's back comfortingly. Fenton understood the gesture; his ghost self was saying there was no reason to be embarrassed or guilty.

From Mom and Dad, there was a pause as they considered the words. "That is part of the reason I suggested waiting." Mom bit her lip. "Also, we'd want to practice with your powers in human form as well, since you did have access in either form….assuming you can control them in human form at all." The woman said the last bit warrily.

Fenton frowned. "We can, if we try." He said confidently, earning another surprised blink from his mother. "And I want to now." He glanced at Phantom. "Both of me does."

The ghost nodded, giving his human an approving half smile. His face then turned serious, looking at Mom. "And flying? You will let us do that?"

"Firstly, there will be no flying escapades while you're grounded. But after…" Unsurely, the woman looked between the Dannys again. "We'll talk about it."

Phantom's face hardened. "That sounds like a no."

Mom pinched her nose. "Danny, I understand how much you want this." Fenton swallowed; no, she didn't. She really did not. "But I don't like the idea of you flying, especially while you're split. Maybe if you're just flying as….Phantom." She paused for a second at the word. "But if you're carrying your counterpart…"

The ghost held up his hands. "We've been over this. I won't drop him! I do have some self preservation!"

Mom sighed. "I did not say that. It's just...I'm worried"

Phantom glared. "No, you don't-"

Dad cut the ghost off with a sudden thought. "How about we get them a parachute, Maddie?"

The woman blinked at her husband. "What?"

"Fenton can wear a parachute, in case something happens. And we can have them...err..him...Danny use it after we get 'em sorted. That way he'll be okay if something happens to his powers."

Mom put a hand on her chin in consideration. After a long moment, she spoke. "Alright. We'll do that."

Again, Fenton and Phantom looked at each other, brows raised as if to say seriously. Phantom's face remained hard in anger but he nodded. The human shrugged.

Then he turned to address Mom. "Okay. That doesn't sound...too bad." Despite the words, his voice wasn't all that confident. Then again, it's not like he had much of a choose. If he ever wanted to fly again (and not outright do it behind Mom's back), he'd have to do what she wanted.

Phantom said nothing but his human felt his begrudging agreement, just as begrudging as their mother's agreement to let them train and fly. The ghost leaned back onto the couch with his arms crossed as Mom continued to look at the two. Tension rose; clearly no one was happy but none were willing to speak.

The ghost finally coughed, breaking the silence. "We have homework to do so if we're done…" He motioned up the stairs.

Fenton glanced at him, honestly caught off guard by the undertone of anger. But then again….

"Yes. You can go." Mom said flatly, again to the human Danny's surprise. He expected her to rebuke him for that attitude but… She sighed defeatedly, sadness and….was that, could that possibly be... guilt in her eyes.

Dad said nothing as Fenton stood and Phantom floated to his feet. They started towards the stairs when the man called after them. "Son. We'll call you when it's time for dinner, okay?"

Fenton turned. "Okay. See you later."

After turning back around, the pair headed up the stairs and into their room. As soon as the ghost closed the door, Fenton addressed him. "You're angry." There was no accusation in his voice, just curiosity, a request for an explanation.

Phantom threw his arms down to his sides. "She doesn't trust me."

"What?" The human asked.

"Mom. She still doesn't trust me." The ghost repeated.

Fenton frowned. "She doesn't trust us?"

"No." Phantom shook his head. "She doesn't trust me. It's me, not you."

"But we're-" The human boy started.

"The same person, yeah. But….you're the human half. I'm the ghost." He gritted his teeth, his voice mocking. "I'm….I'm still the part that's wrong and unnatural. I'm dangerous, unpredictable. I can't be trusted."

"No." Fenton walked forward, taking both of the ghost's flailing arms. "You're not those things."

"But-" Phantom started.

"I know you." The human half-smiled. "I am you. You're not those things. We're not those things."

"I...I know that!" The ghost bit out, pulling his arms out of Fenton's grip. "I know Mom's wrong about this, about me. Even Dad could freaking see it but…" His fists balled. "Why does she accept you but not me?!"

Fenton's lip turned down. "If she doesn't accept you, she doesn't accept me either. But anyway…." He bit his lip. "I don't think that's what this is. She's just….I think she's just worried."

"Worried?! You heard...you heard what she's said!" The human's heart was breaking at his ghost self's indignant expression. "I can't believe you!"

"Phantom-" Fenton started, disappointedly.

"No!" The ghost's eyes flashed. "I can't...I don't believe you." His voice shook, anger leaching from it as he whined. "Why is this happening?"

Guilt pricked at the human's heart but he pushed it down. Eyes watering, he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around his ghost. "I'm sorry."

Phantom stiffened, freezing in his emotional display at the embrace. "Fenton." He whispered. "No. I'm…"

"I'm sorry. It's...it's gonna be okay. We'll figure this out." He squeezed the ghost. "Whatever happens with Mom and Dad, we stick together."

Phantom sniffled, returning the hug. "Yeah...Yeah." He swallowed. "Together." Acceptance of the comfort flowed from the ghost's core to his human's heart. "We stick together."

After a long moment of self-soothing, the human Danny stepped back. An instant later, Phantom clasped his hands in Fenton's identical ones. "I'm sorry. This...this isn't your fault. It's neither of ours fault. I'm just…."

"Upset?" The human squeezed his ghost's hand. "I get it. I am too."

"I just…Dad was being so supportive after what Mom said. And when she came up….yeah she said she'd let us train and fly but….she didn't even apologize." The ghost looked down.

Fenton's heart clenched. "No, she didn't."

Phantom bit his lip. "Why does she keep hurting us?"

The human had no answer, feeling his ghost's pain just as keenly as Phantom himself was. He sighed. "I don't know."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Phantom asked.

"Maybe...we should talk to her?" Fenton said uncertainly.

Both boy's noses wrinkled at the thought and they pulled away from each other in synch. "Yeah….no."

Already Fenton could feel that this was likely to be a stupid decision but…..he remembered his conversation with Jazz this morning. He wasn't ready, especially since overhearing his parents' argument in the lab.

Phantom sighed. "I guess….Dad said to be patient with her, that she'd come around and...maybe I overreacted. Maybe it isn't that she doesn't trust me. Mom's just...being overprotective."

"I mean...I did almost fall when we went flying." Fenton shrugged sheepishly.

"Not that she knows about that." The ghost crossed his arms. He then pointed. "And I'd never have let anything happen to us."

"Of course not." The human added confidently. "But may there's still something to her being worried. But if wearing a parachute makes her feel better…"

"I guess we can do that." Phantom finished. With a long suffering sigh, he floated over to the bed and sat down. "We'll just have to show her that using our powers is safe."

Fenton sat down beside him. "And that we're comfortable with them."

The ghost rose a brow. "Are we?"

"We're trying, aren't we? And…. I was talking to Sam and Tucker at lunch about stuff and…." The human sighed, taking Phantom's hand. "Here, let me show you."

Fenton took a breath, closing his eyes. He focused on the conversation at lunch, about leaning into what was happening to him, about not trying to act normal and like nothing had changed. Instead, they'd show Mom and Dad who they were now. And who were they? Part ghost. It was non-negotiable. They were, He was Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom, and that was good. In a flash, the words passed from Fenton's portion of their mind to Phantom's. The ghost closed green eyes, taking in the memory.

After a long moment, Phantom turned, meeting his counterpart's eyes. "You mean all that?"

Fenton nodded. "Yeah. Of course."

The ghost smiled. "Me too."

There was silence for a moment as the two halves shared that moment of unity. That underlying tension from dealing with Mom remained but...they had something of a plan and were on the same page.

Finally Fenton sighed. "So...homework?"

Phantom rolled his eyes and offered a chuckle. "Homework."

Note: And another chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to let you guys know, the next month is going to be crazy for me. Between moving to a new apartment, family christmas stuff, and writing for holiday truce, I have no idea how much time I'll have to write for this story so bear with me for the time being. I'm slowly but surely getting through this.


End file.
